I Blame the Cat
by Robyn Maddison
Summary: Revenge is sweet and Draco Malfoy discovers this first hand as he turns hated enemy Ginny Weasley into a kitten. But maybe revenge isn't all it's said to be...
1. Chapter the First

A/N: I'm a D/G shipper. I spun out this little idea this morning and wound up writing it just to get it out of my head. Anyways, if you're nice, you'll review. And if you don't, well I hope you enjoyed the story. 

Disclaimer: I don't' won these characters *points to JK Rowling*, she does. 

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"Sod off Malfoy." The red head ground out between clenched teeth. 

"Or what?" Draco Malfoy passed the angry redhead's book bag to one of his cronies, maybe Crabbe, maybe Goyle. "Or you'll hex me to the next dimension? With that wand? I think not." 

He sneered at her.

Ginny's eyes sparked underneath her wisps of curling red hair and her hand went to her wand. An old scratched thing she had gotten from Charlie. Second-hand. 

"This is it Malfoy, last chance you – "

"Get away from her!" Came the shout followed by the pounding feet of the dream Team. Ginny groaned inwardly but was glad at their arrival. The Calvary was here. She smirked at Malfoy as his head whirled to see the angry red face of Ron Weasley followed by Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. 

Ginny's brown eyes glinted and she seized her opportunity. 

Malfoy's attention elsewhere, he didn't see Ginny's knee coming up in a swift movement until too late.

Even Harry grimaced as he watched Malfoy moan in agony on the floor. Ginny looked at him and his grey eyes flashed at her as she daintily stepped around to where Goyle had her bag hanging limply in one fist, his mouth agape in shock as he stared at his injured master…er...I mean friend. 

"This isn't over Weasley." Malfoy ground out between gasps of breath for Ginny's ears alone.

Ginny turned her back on him with a small humph and walked jauntily away. Draco Malfoy wasn't worth her time. She didn't grin until she was around the corner and pelting it back to the common room, the Dream Team coming right behind her.  

They piled through the portrait hole, Ron was clutching his sides in laughter, or maybe it was a stitch from running so hard. 

"Oh Gin, justice is sweet." Hermione spoke up between fits of giggles. "So glad I was there to see that."

Ginny grinned as Harry patted her on the back. "Never thought I'd see the day when Malfoy was sacked by a girl."

The dream team went off in fits of laughter once more, gaining the attention of those few students in their common room.  Soon they had all assembled laughing or chuckling as they told the story of how Ginny kneed Draco Malfoy. The boys groaned a bit in sympathy. 

One lyrically gifted student made the story into a singsong ballad to the amusement of the crowd. Most memorized it to sing tomorrow whenever Malfoy walked by. 

Ginny walked up to her dorm room later that evening amid pats on the back and words of congratulations.  

Once in bed though and huddled under her blankets she frowned slightly at the memory of the pure menace flashing in Malfoy's grey eyes. Would he get her back? Attempt revenge? She sighed and her brows furrowed sleepily. She'd ask Ron if he could watch out for her between classes tomorrow. Maybe she could stick around him and Harry and Hermione. Finally she succumbed to the lull of sleep, letting her dreams over take her. 

While in another portion of the castle, down on the dungeon level, one blonde haired, grey-eyed boy smiled grimly as he thought of the perfect revenge before rolling over and letting sleep overcome him. 

Thursday dawned bright and grey. The skies where white with the far off cloud covering that held the promise of snow. Students woke up, brushed their teeth, showered, changed, gathered their books and made their way down to the great hall. Ginny was no different. She woke up blissfully unaware of the events of the previous day. It didn't hit her until she was in the shower, furiously scrubbing her scalp. She paused in shock and there was a queer tightening of her stomach.

The sound of the water pounding around her echoed loudly in her ears as she slowly began to move again. She had nothing to worry about. What could he do to her really? She was a sixth year student and he was a seventh year prefect. He'd get in so much trouble if he was caught breaking the rules. Still though, hanging out with her brother seemed like a good idea today. Safety in numbers and all that. In that case, she'd better hurry. 

Malfoy's face had bright red spots on it underneath stormy grey eyes. Gryffindors had been signing him a song since he had started to walk to the great hall this morning. And now the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were learning it too. 

Students looked over to where he was with grins on heir faces, quickly looking away as they caught sight of his livid face.  

"Geez, Malfoy. What crawled down your pants and died?" Blaise Zabini asked with a sly smile. 

Blaise stuck up his hands in mock surrender as Draco turned his glare onto him full blast.

"No pun intended." Blaise grinned cheekily. 

Draco snarled angrily and stabbed at his breakfast with his fork. Stupid Weasley, make him the laughingstock of the whole school. Damaging his reputation.

Inevitably his plans for revenge passed through his mind after thinking about the stupid redhead and a sly grin lowly made its way across his face. He looked rather like a good-looking version of a hunchback as he sat grinning to himself with his shoulders hunched over and a vacant expression on his face as he went over his plans for revenge. Oh it would be sweet. 

"The song must really be getting to him." Murmured a Ravenclaw, passing by the slowly rocking Draco. 

Ginny listened to the three friends talk in hushed whispers. They agreed to protect her, though by now she was starting to doubt that Malfoy was going to do anything to her. But their agreement to protect her didn't affect how excluded she felt as she listened to them talk. They cast wary glances at her now and again to ensure that she wasn't listening in. 

Could they be any more obvious? She snorted derisively to herself.

"You say something gin?" Ron asked curiously. 

"No." She muttered, casting a glare at the back of his head as he turned back to Hermione. 

Youngest Weasley, only girl, needed a protector. She bit her lip softly, staring at indifferently at the open book in front of her. 

" I think what I really need is a bloody friend." It came out as a whisper as a feeling of solitude pressed itself down around her. 

Every since she'd met Tom, she blamed it all on Tom, she'd been different. She knew more, well as much as Tom had, and her knowledge wasn't all…good. Sometimes she thought she should have been in Slytherin. Then she'd meet a Slytherin in the hall and she'd change her mind right back. 

All this is to say that her encounter in the Chamber of Secrets had somehow warped her. And she honestly didn't mind it. Potions was a breeze, Transfiguration was a breeze, everything academic was a breeze. But it wasn't just in academia and she figured that's why she had no friends. Well, studying with Colin Creevey didn't really count. 

Ginny sighed in exasperation. Okay, the protection thing was getting boring. It was Friday night, she had no homework to do until later and the three stooges over there would probably find someone else to watch after her (goody) while they went off and did something against the rules again while everyone else pretended they didn't' notice. 

She shut her book with a bang and shoved off from the table in the library.

"Gin! Where do you think you're going?" Ron's voice called out minutes later just as she reached the door to the library. 

"Common room." She called back quickly before fairly running out of the library. The sooner she could get her pyjamas on and curl up with her book the better. 

Draco paced quickly in his dorm room. Everything was ready. He grinned in satisfaction. Friday night, the perfect time to exact revenge for his damaged reputation and his damaged…er…yes. 

He grinned and with a swirl of his robe left the dorm room. Blaise watched him leave form his bed with a look of interest. "Wow. Someone's going to get it tonight. He only does the evil robe thing when really, really pissed." He half muttered to himself, half to Crabbe who was watching a spot on the wall with interest. 

Ginny pulled on her pyjamas quickly, a tight green tank top over a sports bra and old sweat pants that used to belong to Ron. Sighing she flopped down on her bed and pulled her book bag to her.

Rifling though it looking for her book, she cursed. "Crap. I left in the library."

She contemplated her options. Go running around the school in my nightclothes when everyone is still awake and moving and get my book? Or stay here and do homework?

"Ha. I'm no Hermione." She muttered and leaped out of bed. "Forward march soldier, the library awaits us. I mean, me." She grinned and bounded down the stairs, excited for no reason. 

The halls weren't as full of people as she had expected them to be, mostly everybody had decide on their evening activities by now. 

Ginny twitched nervously as she picked up her pace. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Her wand was tucked in the elastic band of her sweat pants and she drew it out into a slippery palm. She walked a bit faster. Was it her imagination or was there an echo to her footsteps? Like someone was following her? She began to jog, who cares what people thought about crazy Ginny Weasley anyways. 

The library entrance came into view and Ginny pelted through the doors, stopping suddenly as students looked up at her. 

A blush rose to her cheeks and she quickly tried to hide her face as she made her way quickly to where she could see her book on the floor underneath a table. 

The Dream Team had left already, leaving a broken quill on the table and ink splatters. She shook her head. Slobs. 

She reached down and picked up her book. Once in her grasp, she breathed in relief. Her mission was complete and she felt safe now. Doubtless she had just been paranoid earlier. Her face grew red at the thought. Crazy Ginny, always scared now from one encounter with evil personified. "I'm paranoid." She muttered as she began to walk back the dorm, her book grasped in one hand, wand back in its position in the band of her pants. 

Her scream was muffled as a long hand clamped down over her mouth. "You're not paranoid." The whisper came and Ginny grew slack. Tom? No! It couldn't be. Then it was…Malfoy! She grew angry and started to struggle wildly.

His hold grew tighter as he pulled her down an empty hall, one arm around her waist. A door squeaked and into an unused classroom they went. Malfoy drew her wand out of the back of her pants and she flinched. 

He released her and she spun around in fury, ready to grab her wand back and give him the beating of a lifetime. But Malfoy had been expecting that and was ready with a curse. Her mouth was open to scream at him in rage. 

_"Silencius!"_ Malfoy said firmly and Ginny couldn't talk. Her hands flew to her throat. 

Her wide angry eyes flew to Malfoy's smirking ones. He had two wands pointed at her, his and hers. 

"If I was you, I wouldn't move Weasley." He said softly, his voice laced with satisfaction. 

Ginny stood stock still, her fists clenched at her sides and glared at him, gulping wildly. It felt as if something was lodged in her throat.  

Malfoy smirked at her. "Poor little Weasley, where's Potter and his friends when you need them." He smirked. "Too bad, it's just you and me." He sneered and drew closer. 

"Now you see Weasley, I struggled with what to do with you for a while; couldn't decided which sort of revenge I wanted to exact." He grinned ferally and the light from the hallway streamed into the room casting a menacing aura around him. 

Draco raised his wand and backed up a step. Ginny's eyes flew about, searchgin for anyone to come help her. He muttered a spell, and Ginny had only started dodge the curse before it hit her. 

She fell to the floor quickly. 

Draco lowered the wands and tucked his back away as well as Ginny's. Where once a sixth year student had lain, a little black kitten with a dainty white socks and a white patch over its left eye was sitting blearily. 

Draco squatted quickly and scooped up the kitten. Suddenly it began to fight and snarl and hiss. 

Draco's hand held it away from him, tightening painfully about the kitten's middle, squeezing its ribs. He pointed his wand at it quickly. 

"I warned you Weasley. You had his coming. You want me to de-claw you as well?" he hissed at her.

The kitten struggled for breath and Draco loosened his grip on the transfigured Ginny. 

Strong hands brought her near to his face. "Well, well, well. I think I'll call you Kitten. Because," He grinned maliciously at her "You are a kitten." With that he rubbed his hand over her head and holding her firmly against his chest set off out of the classroom, back to the dungeons.


	2. Chapter the Second

Disclaimer: not mine, don't' sue

AN: it's late, I'm tired, this is not spell checked or edited for the most part. I scanned a few lines. I'm Going to bed. Enjoy. Don't forget to review. I love reviews

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Once in the Slytherin common room Draco loosened his hold on her, letting his hands drop. Ginny clung to his shirt with her claws, shaking in terror. 

"Oh, Draco! It's so cute!" Pansy Parkinson said as she approached seeing the frightened kitten hanging on his shirt. 

"Is it a boy or a girl?" She asked as she extracted Ginny's claws from Draco's shirt. 

"Girl." Draco said; smugly it seemed to Ginny. 

Pansy hugged it and Ginny relaxed for a moment, enjoying the feeling of the fingers smoothing out her fur. "She's so tiny Draco. Where'd you get her?"

Draco grinned. "Mother sent her for me. Though I'd enjoy having a kitten around."

Ginny hissed chokingly, trying to laugh. 

Draco shot her a glare. "Her name is Kitten." 

"Oh very original Malfoy." Came the smooth voice of Blaise Zabini as he approached, a potions textbook in his hands. 

"Thanks." Malfoy said back smoothly. 

Ginny was still trembling from anger and shock. She felt a little bit sleepy all of a sudden. Roughly Malfoy scooped her from Pansy's grasp. 

"I think I'll put her in my room for now, let her sleep." He said quickly and turned to the entrance to the dorm rooms. Blaise watched him go curiously and followed slowly.  

Draco set the tremulous form of Kitten on his bed, throwing his robe down beside her. Ginny didn't flinch. She was so tired and she couldn't help shaking. A yawn split her face. Suddenly Draco's face was eye-level to her. 

"Should you have the need, there's a litter box underneath this bed." He smirked at her and she snarled slightly. One of his fingers brushed her whiskers and she jumped backwards. 

He grabbed her. "And, just for you, a nice little kennel so you don't go running off during the night." 

Ginny struggled in his grip. 

"Malfoy, do you always talk to your pets like they are real people?" Blaise's voice came dryly from the entranceway. 

Malfoy turned at grinned at him. "Only when they really are." He grinned larger as Blaise face was first shocked, then impressed. "You're kidding!" He exclaimed as he walked nearer. 

"You transfigured some one? I'm impressed. Who is it?" He looked at Ginny held in Malfoy's hands and she hissed at him. 

Malfoy grinned. "I'll give you a hint. Instead of a weasel, I've turned her into a cat."

"The girl Weasley? Ginny?" Blaise looked at Draco incredulously.  

Draco nodded, a smug smile on his face. 

Blaise shook his head and looked closer. "She's shaking like a leaf!" he said with a grin. 

_Only a Slytherin could be so sadistic. _ Ginny thought angrily to herself.

"Yeah. Shock and all I guess." Draco mused idly. 

"So what're you going to do with her?" Blaise straightened up and moved to a desk in the room as Draco sat down on his bed, the kitten in his hands. 

_Yes, what are you going to do? Please tell us! _Ginny suddenly looked at Draco. 

Draco shrugged. "We'll see. And even if I did know," he looked pointedly at Ginny, "I'd not say here while little cat's ears are pricked up."

"Ah. Good point." Blaise commented. "So how are you going to keep her from running away to her brother?"

Draco nodded suddenly. "Thanks for reminding me." 

He leaned down and drew a small bag from underneath his bed. Rifling through it one handed, the other still held Ginny, he withdrew a small green band of soft cloth. Its width was very small, like a piece of twine almost. He held it up so Blaise could see. 

"It's called invisible leash. This green band goes around the pet's neck." So saying he slipped the small loop over Ginny's head. 

He continued quickly. "Then, you touch the collar with your wand saying, _Stationaro, fifteen feet. _ Then I point it at me, the object she has to stay within five feet of, and say, _stationora._" He completed the simple procedure and promptly let Ginny go. 

Hopping down, she looked at the expectant and smirking face of Malfoy and then to the curious face of Blaise. 

_The door. The door. I have to at least try. There's the chance he didn't actually make the spell work. _With that thought in mind, she set out for the door. 

She didn't' make it. She strained and strained but there was a force field or something holding her back. Malfoy's laughter rang out. Turning back she promptly ran under the bed and hid in its farthest corners. She'd never get out. Her body quaked as she curled in a tight quivering ball of soft black fur until finally exhausted she fell asleep. 

Malfoy knew Ginny hadn't moved since she scurried under the bed. He set his book on his nightstand and laying flat on his bed, leaned down to check on the kitten. 

In the dark blackness under his bed, he could barely see the shaking form of the black kitten. 

He got off his bed with a soft thump and squirmed under the bed, one hand reaching for the kitten. He drew the trembling cat towards him slowly, trying not to wake her up. 

Sitting up, he cupped her to his chest. She was very cold. He grinned again. He couldn't get over the fact he had turned Weasley into a cat. Her brother was going to freak out. 

Blonde hair fell into his face as he stood up, Kitten formerly known as Ginny nestled in one palm, and he made his way to the attached bathroom. 

Large lumps indicated the sleeping forms of Crabbe and Goyle, moving rhythmically like whales breaching as they snored. 

He chuckled to himself a bit. Blaise was asleep on his bed too; the covers sprawled out around him, intermingled with potions texts and scrolls of parchment. What a bookworm. 

The kitten finally stopped shaking in Draco's hand. He held the now warm ball of fur against his stomach with one hand, the other reaching for his toothbrush and toothpaste. He had to bring Ginny with him because she couldn't go out of five feet from him and obviously the bathroom was farther than the fifteen feet allotted. 

Soon finished, Draco headed to bed. Suddenly he stopped in dismay. He had to change! 

Shaking his head he set Ginny down softly on the bed so as not to disturb her and then folded back his cover overtop of her to hide her from sight. 

Then he quickly changed into his pyjamas, pulling on a soft grey t-shirt ad flannel plaid pants. He then unfolded the blanket and was greeted by softly amber eyes blinking sleepily at him. 

"Bedtime." He murmured to her. Ginny blinked once more then with a yawn showing her pink tongue, closed her eyes and fell back to sleep. 

Draco grimaced. She was just one tiny kitten after all, maybe for tonight she could stay on the bed. 

He grunted as he placed himself far over on the edge of the bed. "You stay on your side, and I'll stay on mine." He said to the sleeping kitten before rolling over, turning his back to her.  

Greyish light slanted into the dorm room from high windows. Ginny yawned and looked at the green bedspread. Wait a minute, green bedspread? She abruptly stopped purring. Wait a minute, Purring?!

She leaped to her feet and braced herself. She heard a chuckle and looked into the grinning face of Draco Malfoy. She hissed. 

"All coming back to you now isn't it Weasley?" he said maliciously. 

_            Well aren't we just Captain Obvious this morning. _She commented acerbically to herself. 

            Ginny took in her surroundings. She didn't remember much from last night, just being terrified and the feeling of being in a new body. She looked at the boy's dorm room. She liked the green theme, she decided. 

            _Wow, wouldn't mom be horrified if she knew I'd spent the night in a boy's dorm? Oh no, Ron! He'll flip when he finds out I'm missing. _She absently started to lick a paw as she contemplated means of escape. She needed to get Draco near enough to Ron to be able to communicate with him. But how to do that?

            Draco was shifting about the bed. Ginny narrowed her eyes. Extending her claws, she pounced at him. 

            _I'll teach you, you stupid git! _

Draco yelped quietly as her claws ripped through his shirt and scratched his chest. 

"Bloody hell! Stop it!" His hands finally managed to peel the hissing, clawing and biting kitten away from his body. "What the hell was I thinking making you into an animal with claws." He muttered angrily at her. Ginny only hissed in return. 

"The bonus to this is that you can't talk back." He smirked and Ginny hissed once more. 

Draco glanced away suddenly as a Crabbe (or was it Goyle?) moaned in his sleep. Ginny reached out a paw with sharp claws and gave him a swift swipe across the cheek. 

Draco drew back in pain suddenly. With one hand he brought fingers up to his stinging cheek. His eyes glared at Ginny as he saw the blood tainting his fingertips. 

"Little bitch." He ground out at her. If Ginny's face had been normal, it would have been in a very devious smirk. 

_Serves you right. _Ginny eyed the scratch marks on his cheek with satisfaction. 

A sleep hoarse voice echoed out from Blaise's bed. "Holy, Malfoy, can't you take that cat somewhere else. Some of us are trying to sleep." 

"I'm awake, you're awake." Malfoy said obnoxiously. 

A rather large pillow came winging at his head from the region of Blaise's bed and Draco ducked and rolled, loosing Ginny in the process. Ginny watched in fascination as Draco snatched a pillow up and began pelting Blaise with it. 

_I didn't know boys could be so…childish. _Ginny speculated with a mental grin. 

Blaise thumped to the floor and cried out briefly, "Uncle! I give up!"

Draco grinned, his hair falling into his face. "What's say we wake up the mounds?"

"I like the way your mind thinks." Blaise shot back. "What shall we pick as their poison this time?"

"Water?"

"Classically brutal. I like it." Blaise hopped up and went to the bathroom. He came back with two huge droplets of water following him; a hovering charm after containing water. 

Draco took control of one with his wand and retreated back to his bed, making it look as if he was still sleeping. Blaise did that same and on the quiet count of three they let the water droplets loose, dousing Crabbe and Goyle in the fall of water. 

Quickly Draco slipped his wand out of sight and shut his eyes, in an imitation of perfect sleep. Ginny crawled onto the bed as the bellows of Crabbe and Goyle filled the room. 

The Great Hall was full of owl-eyed students, peering blearily into their plates. It was Saturday morning and no one was really awake. 

Ron Weasley was busy taking in the appearance of Hermione and Harry was sleeping in. They still hadn't noticed the absence of Ginny because it was usual that she slept in. 

Ron's eyes hardened as he caught sight of Malfoy sauntering into the Great Hall, and his smirk seemed to be exuding smugness at Ron more than usual. 

"Bloody git." Ron muttered under his breath as he turned away, it was too early to get into a fight. And besides, Hermione was here and he'd much rather pay attention to her. 

Ron turned back to the crush of his life, ready to lay on the charm and woo her forever. 

Ginny sat docilely on Draco's shoulder. Well, she was sitting with a firm grip rather so that Draco had to keep pulling her claws out of his robes and skin. 

"C'mon kitten, _behave_." He glared at her and she hissed softly back at him. 

Ginny turned her amber gaze from Draco's flinty one and stared unflinchingly at the back of Ron's head, willing him to turn around. It didn't work.

"Ooh. You brought your Kitten to breakfast Draco."     Pansy's hands were suddenly around Ginny and plucking her from Draco's shoulder. 

Ginny was being forcibly nestled into Pansy's more than adequate bosom. 

I can certainly see why Malfoy must like her. She thought wryly. 

            Pansy began petting her softly and scratching gently around her ears. Unintentionally, Ginny started purring and arching her head into it until she caught Malfoy's amused gaze watching her intently. She halted the purring and narrowed her eyes at him. He smirked harder.

            "This is such a nice kitten Draco. She's so cute." Pansy said. Millicent Bulstrode approached and Pansy thrust her into the other girl's sweaty palms. "Here! Look at Draco's kitten. Isn't' she adorable?"

            Ginny squirmed in the large girls heavy hands and tried vainly to get free from the clutching grasp. She mewed pitifully in an attempt for air and her eyes began to bulge slightly. 

            "Oh for god's sake Bulstrode, can't you see you're hurting the poor thing?"

Blaise Zabini took Ginny from Millicent's hands and smoothed her ruffled fur. 

            Ginny took deep gulps of air and Blaise looked narrowly at Draco. 

            "Don't you think you had better look after Kitten very carefully Malfoy?" he questioned him with a narrowing of his startling blue eyes. 

            "She's tough." Draco commented quietly.

            Blaise snorted and sat down, Ginny curled up in his arm and tucked her head as far as it would go in the crook of his elbow. She just wanted back in her dorm, in her bed, among her own housemates. Her body was tired, she was a very young kitten after all and soon, consumed by her melancholy thoughts she fell asleep.  

            Ginny watched idly as Pansy dangled a string in front of her. _What, you want me to follow it? why? You're not gogin to give me food, and I'm really hungry. _

Pansy dangled the string closer so it brushed her nose. Ginny blinked at her. 

            _What do you think I am, stupid? _

            Pansy stopped and put her hands on her hips with a petulant frown on her face. "Draco, you're cat's defective."

            Draco didn't pay attention; he was involved in a game of exploding snap with Blaise. "Eh? What's that?" he said, not looking over.

            "She said your cat is defective." Blaise interjected smoothly. 

            "Defective?"

            "I think she means above average intelligence for a cat."

            "Ah." 

            Their eyes never left the game set up in front of them and Pansy gave up and flopped into a chair blowing strands of blondish hair out of her eyes. 

            Ginny trotted over to where a fire was burning in the hearth. The dungeon common room was a cold place, in décor and temperature. She thought wistfully of her Gryffindor common room with the red walls and overstuffed couches and bright yellow lighting. She sighed and put her head on her paws. How much longer? Would he ever turn her back? 

            Ginny flinched as her stomach growled. She was so hungry, she hadn't eaten anything except for a few bites of toast at breakfast. She looked up, no chance of getting sleep now that her stomach had taken on the disposition of a angry dragon. 

            Climbing to her feet she looked around the room. Any food anywhere? With a groan she saw no food anywhere. At least nothing edible. There was no way she was venturing under the couches…

            With a small growl she trotted over to where Blaise and Draco sat. She looked at the two of them, her head swinging back and forth, deciding which was her better option of getting sustenance. With a flick of her soft tail she pattered over to Blaise and promptly sank her claws into his leg through his pants. 

            "Ouch!" He yelped and looked down at her. "Bloody hell! What was that for?"

            Ginny grabbed a shoelace and began chewing lightly. Would he understand? Chewing? Food? Hungry yes? 

            "Stupid cat." He muttered and pulled his shoelace away from her. 

            Draco's hands were suddenly around Ginny and picking her up. With an easy stride he began to exit the common room, Ginny in hand. 

            "Where are you off to Malfoy?" Blaise queried after him. 

            "Kitchens. She's obviously hungry."

            _Obviously, Why you had to be the smarter one Malfoy, I don't know. _ Ginny didn't really care though; the prospect of food was enticing no matter who was getting it for her. 

            The halls weren't empty but neither were they full. Students were getting ready for the Hogsmeade trip later that afternoon, so it was not a big surprise when around a corner Malfoy went and ahead him was the Three Musketeers, the Dream Team, the Siamese Triplets, the Superheroes of Hogwarts, the Boy-Who-Lived and his drooling Entourage. Yes that's right, Harry, Hermione and Ron were walking down the hall towards him, involved in a very heated and concerning discussion. 

            Draco slipped a strong hand about Ginny and flexed his fingers. 

            _I get it you wanker. Don't run to my brother and his friends or dire consequences await me. Try to escape and I face certain death. Yadda, yadda BLAH!! _She hissed softly and relaxed her body as Draco stopped and leaned up on the wall, a smirk spreading across his pale face as the three approached. Harry saw him first. 

            "What's the matter? Lose something?" Malfoy quirked an eyebrow and saw Ron's face redden. "Your wits perhaps? Oh wait, that's right, can't lose something you don't' have." His voice grew sly on the last part and he pushed off from the wall and turned away. 

            _"Did you hear him?" _

_            "You think he knows?"_

_            "I wouldn't put it past him, death eater that he is."_

            Draco's smirk faltered on the last line that he overhead from the threesome.

"Stupid misinformed Gryffindors." Ginny distinctly heard him mutter as his grip convulsively tightened around her. She mewed in protest. 

            Draco glanced down, his face almost surprised to see her there. "Right, kitchens."

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AN: go ahead, make my day, and reveiw


	3. Chapter the Third

**AN:** not much to say, See the bottom of the page for a couple points of clarification in response to reviews. Forgive bad spelling, it's the charitable thing to do because I do try, but there's only so much one person can do in the ongoing fight against Voldemort, I mean typos^_^ oh, it's bit long, sorry.

Disclaimer: Do you honestly think I own these Characters?? I don't 

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Draco sat ensconced near the hearth and held out saucer towards Ginny. "Weasley, you had better not have made me come down here for nothing. Now eat." 

Ginny gave a mental sigh. _I don't want milk you idiot. Give me real food! And technically, you don't _eat_ milk. You drink it._

Of course, Draco couldn't hear her, but let it not be said Malfoy's were stupid. "I know what you want Weasley, food that _you_ would eat." He leaned close to her as she sat on the table looking mournfully into the saucer of milk. "You're a kitten, kittens need milk. And as much as this world would benefit from one less Weasley to breed," his lip curled in disgust  "I don't think I really want to kill you yet." 

Ginny looked at him and glared balefully, the one human expression that cats could make, and then looked at the milk. This is so demeaning. She thought as she sneezed into the liquid, the white droplets coating her whiskers. I'll get you next time Malfoy. She thought angrily, unknowingly (mis)quoting an old muggle cartoon show. 

~

Harry watched as Ron paced. Hermione flipped yellowed pages in a musty book. Maybe I'll find another location spell, one that will work, she had said. 

            Ron was concentrating on who he was going to beat up when the missing girl was returned to them while Harry was doing what Harry did best, sitting there and randomly clutching at his scar. 

            "I've got it!" Hermione cried. 

            "Spill!" The boys cried excitedly. 

            "We'll go to Dumbledore." She said gravely. "He must know where we can find her."

            "No Hermione." Harry answered solemnly. "Haven't you learned by now that we can't go to Dumbledore or the teachers? It's not in our contract. _And_ it's distinctly against our self-imposed code of self-sufficiency."

            Hermione deflated and her face fell. "Oh yeah."

            Ron patted her awkwardly on the back. "Don't worry 'Mione, we'll keep thinking."

            Unfortunately, the obvious was never so obvious to the three saviours of Hogwarts 6 times over, and the Marauders Map lay disregarded and forgotten in Harry's trunk. Poor idiots. 

~

            Hogsmeade was bustling and a few flakes of snow fell softly from the heavens. Ginny watched people from her vantage point of Blaise's shoulder. The Seventh Year Slytherins were making their way to the Three Broomsticks to warm up and drink some butterbeer. Ginny licked her fangs at the thought of butterbeer. Maybe they'd let her have some. 

            "Blast! Get that cat out of sight." Draco pulled Ginny, who meowed in protest, off of Blaise's shoulder but it was too late. The Dream Team had spotted the Slytherins and Ron and Harry were on their way over to ask Malfoy a few questions. 

            Draco quickly assumed a cool façade, his demeanour nonchalant as the two drew near. 

            Harry started, "Malfoy, we've got a couple – "

            "What did you do to her?" Ron broke in angrily, his fist clenched at his side and face red. 

            Draco raised a pale eyebrow slowly in an expression of innocence mingled with curiosity. "Whatever do you mean Weasley? Done what to who?"

            Ron ground his teeth and his face grew puce in shade. It set off his hair strikingly. No, really, it did. 

            Harry held out a restraining arm to Ron, much good it would do. "Malfoy, look. We know you had it out – "

            "Don't' you mean in?" Draco asked with a smirk.

            "Whatever. The point is, we know you were trying to get back at Ginny, so what did you do to her?"

            "Ginny?" He looked questioningly at Blaise who shook his head in bafflement. It was an act of course. 

            Draco turned back to Harry, "Never heard of her."

            Ron spluttered beside Harry in anger, any minute now he was going to start frothing at the mouth, Draco knew it. 

            Ginny mewed pitifully at the two Gryffindors and squirmed as Malfoy's grip around her middle tightened, cutting off her breath. Harry and Ron's eyes flickered to her briefly but then swung to Malfoy.

            "As lovely as chatting with you is, Potter, I find I grow tired of this tedious conversation."  Draco said with a smirk before beating a hasty retreat with his crowd of Slytherins. 

~

            Ginny listened to the laughter of the Slytherins around her with interest. Quidditch and school were the main topics of discussion. Mostly Quidditch though and Ginny wished she could add her two bits. __

_            Wait a minute. I don't' want to talk to these people. No! They're Slytherins, and _he_ turned me into a cat! Bad Ginny for thinking such a thought! Bad! _

And yet her head cocked in interest as Malfoy lay out some new Quidditch strategies for Blaise and the other seventh year players around him. 

            _They sound just like the Gryffindor boys_. An idle thought flew into Ginny's head and then she scoffed. _Yeah right, Ginny, _just_ like Gryffindor boys, except for the pure evil part. Oh yeah, the pure evil part. Duh._

            Draco's face was animated above her, a real grin making his grey eyes flash as blond hair fell into them. He flicked it out of the way with a long hand covered in calluses.

            _Where'd he get calluses? Malfoy works at something? Maybe he works at a pottery shop…_Ginny's thoughts were growing non-sensical as her body began to grow tired. She could feel her muscles unconsciously relaxing and she sagged down. 

            She barely stirred when Malfoy scooped her up and placed her among the folds of his scarf on his lap.   

            _Weird. Here I am, technically speaking, on Malfoy's lap, and I'm not even protesting. This cat thing must be affecting me more_…

            Ginny fell asleep, not even finishing her thought. 

~

            "We need a fourth Draco. This game doesn't work as well without a fourth."

            "There's no one else around who knows how to play." Draco stated.

            Blaise, Draco and Gregory Goyle were seated around a table set up in their dorm, trying to start a game of poker. Muggle poker. Ginny was sitting on the table watching them, idly cleaning a white paw. Suddenly Draco's eyes lit on Ginny with a suspicious gleam in them. Ginny looked up at him and immediately started backing away, her tail a stiff bottlebrush and her fur raised. She hissed and scrambled backwards, forgetting there was an edge to the table and fell with a soft thump to the floor. Malfoy quickly seized her and brought her up to eye level. 

            "You know how to play poker?" he asked with a hard squeeze. Ginny shook her head. 

            "Tell the truth now…" He squeezed harder, and harder. Ginny struggled for breath and mewed in pain, her eyes growing wide. Finally she nodded. 

            _Blast you Charlie, that's the last time I let you teach me any muggle card games!_

Draco grinned ferally. "Good. We need a fourth." 

            _Um yes…well. As much as I'd really, really, really, _like_ to play, somehow, I don't think my paws will hold the deck that well. Dumb ass. _

Draco set her down on the bed and with a spoken command of "Don't move" backed away several feet. Withdrawing his wand he pointed it at her. Ginny jumped away but the bedspread tangled her clumsy paws and it was too late. Déjà vu.  

            "Ack!" Ginny coughed and struggled to breathe, eventually coughing up a tiny hairball.

            "Eww…" She wrinkled her nose and looked at the saliva-covered fur in girly disgust. Suddenly she whipped her head up and looked at Draco Malfoy's smirking face. Her eyes narrowed and she untangled her legs from the mussed bedding, shakily standing to her feet and glaring at him. 

            Draco spoke first. "Ready to play poker?" 

            Ginny flushed in anger. "No Malfoy. I'm leaving." She started to the door of the dorm room.      

            "Weasley, are you stupid? If you go a step nearer that door, I'll hex you so fast and you'll be back to a kitten, you won't know what hit you."

            Ginny turned and pushed a hand through her tangled red curls. She smoother down her sweats and tank top and walked back to the table, ignoring Malfoy. 

            "Right, so poker. Who's dealer?"  She glanced questioningly at Blaise who sat in a rather Malfoy-esque pose, smirk and all. 

            Goyle gaped, his jaw flapping like a fish's as he stared at Ginny. "Draco…your cat…" he trailed off, his normal look of utter confusion on his face. 

            Draco made a noise of derision. "Honestly Goyle. Obviously she's not a cat."

            A red flush lit across Ginny's cheekbones and nose, highlighting her few freckles with amazing clarity. 

            "I'll deal." Draco said as he lowered himself in the vacant seat beside Ginny and quickly shuffled the deck of cards. 

~

Ginny gazed at her cards in seeming consternation. Very carefully she selected two cards with great deliberation and set them on the table. "Two."

            "Could you go any slower?" Blaise asked her in irritation. Ginny simply glanced at him and shot him a withering stare. 

            The betting proceeded and then Draco then Blaise laid their hands down. Goyle was out, had been since before the first round of betting. It was never clear if he understood the concept of discarding correctly. 

            Ginny looked at the cards on the table, then looked at her own hand. 

            "Sometime tonight Weasley if you don't mind." Draco drawled as he waited. 

            Ginny kept her face very blank and laid her hand. 

            Blaise's jaw dropped, Goyle was…er…he didn't understand anyways, and Draco's face grew pale. 

            Ginny acted confused. "I've only played a couple times, is that good?" She asked sweetly and innocently, the paragon of childish ignorance. 

            "We've been swindled Malfoy." Blaise said chokingly. 

            Draco looked at the Royal Flush. "Inconceivable… " He muttered. "Actually, it _is_ inconceivable. And Zabini, you're right; we have been swindled. You cheated Weasley." He accused.

            "Now ferret, don't get your knickers in a twist." Ginny dropped the innocent face quickly and her amber eyes were amused. 

            Draco's jaw visibly clenched. 

            "What do you reckon Zabini? How'd she do it?"

            "No wand, so no magic. Well I'm stumped."

            "And here I thought Slytherins were supposed to be deviously sly." Ginny taunted. She was obviously in her element and enjoying it. "Honestly though, would you believe me if I told you that I didn't cheat?" 

            Draco leaned close. "No." he breathed and Ginny's stomach jumped suddenly before she regained be in command of her body. 

            "Well I didn't." Ginny said firmly. 

            "Prove it." Blaise added quickly. 

            Ginny chewed her lip in consternation. "I can't prove it."

            Draco's eyes suddenly glinted and his face lit up. "I've got it. Here's what we'll do weasel. We'll play strip poker. And if your luck holds, we'll know you were cheating and back to a kitten you shall go for a much longer while."

            Ginny furrowed her brows. What was he trying to pull?

            He continued. "And if your luck does not hold, we'll know you weren't cheating and you'll get to finish playing with us."

            Ginny looked at him dryly. "There's no difference between the outcomes Malfoy."

            He grinned wolfishly. "No there's not, is there?" 

            Blaise laughed. "Nicely done Malfoy."

            Ginny looked at him swiftly. "Another thing, why is it that all Slytherins call each other by their last names?"

            Blaise looked at her. "You call Malfoy, Malfoy."

            "Yes but only if I don't use Ferret. And besides, we have a history of animosity, which immediately allows for last name basis. You do not."

            Blaise shrugged. "Speaking of paradoxes, here's one for you, Is Nothing, Nothing, or is it something?"

            Ginny furrowed her brows before she grinned in comprehension. "Oh I get it. 'Nothing' is a noun; therefore it's 'some-thing'. But if you have 'nothing', you don't own anything, which means you can't have something. But how can that be if Nothing is a noun?" She laughed a little. 

            Draco ground his teeth a bit. "Wow. As much as I'm fascinated by this…the game everyone." He brought their attention back to the table. 

~

            Ginny gulped and laid her five cards on the table. 

            The boys her grinned while Goyle slobbered. Ginny gulped once more and her eyes flew around the table. Ginny gulped once more and her eyes flew around the table. "You're not really going to make me are you?" she pleaded a little. 

            Draco smirked. "You want to be a kitten again, then no, of course not." He drew out his wand and started twirling like a pen. Not a quill, those are rather difficult to twirl, but yes a _pen_. 

            Ginny's eyes flashed. "You know, when I tell my brother what you did to me, he's going to hex you so badly…" She trailed off.

            Her nostrils flared and Draco's eyebrows rose. "Well? Take something off."

            "You know if you keep moving your eyebrows like that, one day they'll freeze like that and your mother will never love you again." She spat at him. 

            "Stop stalling."

            "I've decided, please turn me back into a cat." She crossed her arms and waited. "I didn't want to play anyways."

            Draco looked at her. Stupid Gryffindor, foiling his plans. Now what could he do, short of killing her of course. 

            He looked at her with hooded eyes and drawled slowly, "As I recall it, you didn't have a choice in the matter now did you."  

            Ginny scowled. "Oh bugger off." She said quietly. "Haven't you done enough."

She whispered this so quietly Draco wasn't' even sure if he heard it. 

Blaise stood up suddenly. "Well that's it. I'm finished with poker. Heading to the common room now." He glanced at the comatose form of Goyle briefly. "I suppose I'll take Goyle with me."

Ginny watched the retreating form of Blaise with something akin to panic in her eyes. Gulping suddenly she turned wide eyes to Draco who was sitting relaxed in his chair, shuffling a deck of cards skilfully. He was leaned back but he looked coiled, ready to spring on her at any moment. 

"Well Weasley it's just you and me." His tone was snide as he flicked up hard eyes at her.     

"Look Malfoy," Ginny glanced around and stood up. She wasn't comfortable sitting in such close proximity to him – it was doing funny things to her stomach. "If I just say I'm really, really sorry I even sacked you and promise never to get in your way again, or tell my brother's what you did to me to exact revenge, will you let me go?"

Draco cocked his head as if considering it before a predatory smile sprang up on his face and in one smooth motion he rose from the table as well. "No." 

Ginny backed away as one of Draco's long strides brought him nearer. "No?" She questioned, her eyes darting around futilely. 

"A most definite no. I rather like besting your brother and Potter for once."

"You're evil."

"Thank you." He smirked at her. 

She narrowed her eyes in exasperation, recovering some of her poise. "Only a Death Eater like you would ever take something like that as a compliment."

If Ginny thought Draco's face before was mean and hard, she was entirely unprepared for the look of pure rage that swept across his features. If she thought he was scary before, she now revoked and revised that opinion. 

She emitted a small 'eep' as suddenly Draco lunged at her in anger and tackled her to a bed behind her. 

His nostrils were flared and his eyes snapping and flashing in pure unadultered anger. She squirmed beneath him, but his grip was strong on her arms and she couldn't escape.

"I've had enough of those types of comments Weasley. From you, from Potter, from Granger and the rest of the whole bloody Gryffindor house. Let's get one thing straight shall we, _I'm am not a Death Eater._"

Ginny shook and her face was pale. "P-Prove it." She stammered out defiantly. 

            Malfoy looked a bit stumped, unfortunately. "Can't."

            Ginny rolled her eyes. "Then I guess you can't really complain if I don't believe you."

            "Look Weasley, just because someone has the dark mark, doesn't necessarily mean they are a Death Eater." 

            Ginny looked at him blankly. "Right. And next thing you know, the Weasley's will be next to the Malfoy's on the social ladder."

            Malfoy looked at her blankly. "Did you just insult your own family?

            Ginny looked panicked. "Erm…no."

            "Right. Excuse me if I don't believe you." 

            "Will you let me go if I do?"

            "Which brings me to an excellent point, we've been sidetracked." He shook a finger in her face and Ginny tried to shrink away. In a flash his face had regained all the anger it had lost during the sidetracked-ness and Ginny's regained it's terror. 

            "Weasley, I've had it with you."

            "Then the question of the day would be, why are you insisting on having me around?" Ginny raised her eyebrows.

            "A good point, one I intend to remedy." He shot back quickly, but his mind was spinning. 

            Draco's hand suddenly had his wand in it, but his face was cruelly contemplative. Ginny watched the impassive face of Malfoy in a bit of awe. Obviously he was thinking through something. But other than the occasional twitch of his lips, his face remained utterly unreadable. 

            Ginny began to squirm again and to her surprise, Malfoy retreated. Ginny sat up slowly and stepped off the bed, her knees cracking, as her joints were wont to do. "Malfoy – "

            Draco raised a hand imperiously and cut her off. "Shut up Weasley." His brows furrowed imperceptibly and his wand was still pointed at her, laxly though now. "I've decided, you may go. _If _you swear to never tell anyone about this."

            Ginny nodded quickly, eagerly and tousled red hair fell into her face. "Deal Malfoy." She made to walk out the door. 

            "Weasley, not so fast." Malfoy's voice brought her back sharply. "First we sign, a written contract, and then you must wait until the Slytherins are in bed like good little students. It won't do for you to be seen walking around our common room now would it?"

            Ginny flushed furiously as she considered the unmistakeable logic of his reasoning. "Fine." She stomped back to the table and sat down in a chair defiantly. 

            Malfoy drew a paper onto the table and in a deep, green ink started writing, in an elegant cursive script, the beginnings of a contract. Finishing the last sentence with a flourish, he pushed the paper and quill towards Ginny. 

            Ginny picked up the smooth piece of parchment and commenced to read. She took her time and some of his. 

            "Weasley," Draco drawled after an interminably long time "Are you naturally slow, or is it something you cultivated?"

            "Malfoy, do shut up." Ginny didn't look.

            "Your eyes have been on the same line for the past three minutes. Haven't moved. Thinking about Potter?" He smirked lightly. 

            Ginny folded the paper and turned to face him. "Why must everyone throw that stupid infatuation I had when I was a little girl in my face? He really is an insufferable git you know, as I'm sure, all too well."

            Malfoy's eyes were a little shocked before he recovered his composure. "Blast, now I have something in common with a Weasley."  

            Ginny shot him a look of disgust as she deliberately turned away and then with an almost hesitant movement, signed her soul away to the devil right on the dotted line. Or rather she signed the contract of her assured silence willingly, albeit under duress. 

            Once she finished Draco almost snatched the paper from her fingertips. 

            "Possessive a bit are we?" She asked smoothly. "So now what?"

            "Now," He tapped his long fingers on the desk, "We ignore each other. Preferably."

            "Ah. How creative."

            "Funny, I could've sworn I basically told you to stop talking."

            "Funny," Ginny responded in like "I could've sworn that I don't care."

            "Well bully for you."     Draco rolled his eyes in a distinctly juvenile way. 

            Ginny leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner and her eyes twinkled with a mischievous light; she knew she was treading on dangerous ground but what was living without risks…right. "You know, you're not as evil as you like to think you are."

            Draco's jaw clenched and suddenly his long fingered hand was grasping Ginny's jaw. "Now Weasley, you've once again incurred my wrath." 

His smile reminded Ginny of a cat about to pounce and she licked her lips a bit in nervousness, at the same time she was noticing how strong and cool his hands felt on her face. 

            _No Ginny! Bad Ginny! Bad thought Ginny! NO, NO, NO, NO!! _Ginny's mind screamed at her in vehement denial. 

            "You know Weasley, you're not half as repulsive as I could've sworn you were."

            Ginny managed to wrench her head out of his grasp. "Stop you charmer, you." Her tone was dry and her eyes flashed as her hand moved to slap him. 

            Draco caught Ginny's wrist and flexed his fingers tightly. Ginny couldn't help the grimace of pain that flashed across her face. "Bad idea Weasley." 

Suddenly Draco's arm was firmly snaked around her waist, one arm still trapped in his and the other trapped between them, and his face was drawing closer. "You know, Ginny," Ginny's eyes flashed dangerously at the use of her first name "I've suddenly figured out how we can spend our time until you can leave."

"Don't' you even think – "

Draco's mouth had closed over hers in a violent kiss and she suddenly found herself snogging one of the most eligible seventh years in school. She found herself ruthlessly shutting up the voices in her head, that quite rightly told her stop, and going against everything in her nature, and kissing him violently back. 

            Molly Weasley woke up in a start, _Oh Dear god, my baby is making out a boy, I know it! _Now there's mother-radar for you. 

************************************************************************

**AN: **A) Yes, in case you didn't notice, Blaise Zabini is a guy in here. Before you get your panties in a twist, lets remember that this fanFICTION. Key word was capitalized. They are my puppets, and I can do what I want with them, so next week, I'm turning Malfoy into a girl. No JUST KIDDING! But hopefully you see my point. I am the master puppeteer, mwahahahahahahahahahahaha. Oh dear it's late.   
B) I raise the same point in response to the problem of teachers having alarms for Transfigurations. And another point is that if they did have alarms, can you imagine the racket that would be going on during the times when students are doing Transfiguration homework??  Other than that, I have nothing to say.   
Click the button down there, review, tell me your thoughts. I appreciate it. It makes me feel like I'm not a JUST computer nerd who sits and write pointless stories that don't' have a chance of ever being published because they're pieces of Fanfiction. It eases the pain somewhat ^_^ 


	4. Chapter the Fourth

**AN:** There you all go, fourth chapter up and ready. Gloriously un-spellchecked as usual. I know it seems like I'm proud of that fact, but really I'm not. It's just that I never have the time to do it, even now I should be working on a picture book for my writing class Bad me, doing fun things instead of big homework projects, bad, bad. *bangs head on wall like dobby* Not much Dream Team action this segment, I try for humour, most of the time the art of writing it eludes me. 

**Disclaimer:** I am JK Rowling. That means I own these characters. It's also opposite day. 

************************************************************************

Malfoy pulled back from her with a fiendish grin and licked his lips. It took Ginny a little bit but when she recovered the use of her senses she made to hit him. 

            "Weasley, that's what started this in the first place." Draco scolded as he held her hand away from him. 

            "Bugger off Ferret." Ginny squirmed underneath him.

            "Weasley, stop." His voice was commanding and serious suddenly so Ginny stopped. 

            "Um…"

            "Yes Weasley?"

            "I don't suppose you'd get off me?"

            "I thought we determined that this was what we were going to do, to spend the time until you leave?"

            "Correction, you thought so." 

            "Same thing." He leered at her and she clenched her jaw in anger. "Besides, _you_ kissed back."

            "I never." Ginny denied vehemently, and incorrectly. 

            "To prove my point, lets try this again."

            "You know, I'd really rather not. We could talk instead. About ferrets, and cats and how much you hate Harry, and how much – "

            "Shut up Weasley." His mouth lowered over hers once more and Ginny fought, honest she did, but there was only so much one could do to resist the very persuasive charms of Draco Malfoy's mouth. 

            Lost in the throes of overwhelming snogging, neither of them heard the door to the dormitory open, nor the delicate coughing noise. It wasn't until someone started hacking up a lung that Malfoy pulled away from Ginny's flushed face and glazed eyes. "What is it Zabini?"

            "Pansy's looking for you."

            "I'm busy."

            "So I'd noticed." Blaise chuckled sinisterly. 

            "Look, is there any reason you came to pester me?" Malfoy ground out, keeping his eyes locked on Ginny's face where she refused to look him in the eyes. 

            "Pansy…"

            "Right, what did she want?"

            "She says Potter's on the warpath with her," he indicated towards Ginny "brother. And they're looking for you."

            "To hell with them. They can't get me in my dorm room."

            "True. But they know she's with you."

            "Zabini, what's your point?" Draco was fast losing what little patience he was capable of at the moment. 

            "My point is, if you're planning on letting her go anytime soon, now would be as good a time as any." Zabini lowered his tone. "The common room is practically empty, and we've got my invisibility cloak."

            Draco looked at Ginny who was now biting her red bottom lip nervously and hopefully. "Fine." He said darkly as he rolled off from over top of her. 

            Ginny sat up quickly and scuttled off the bed as quickly as possible, getting far away from Malfoy, smoothing her rumpled clothes down as she moved. 

            "C'mon Weasley." He barely glanced at her as he smoothed his own clothes. Blaise was rooting through his trunk quickly, pushing miscellaneous items aside before withdrawing the article he was looking for. "Success." He crowed softly as he handed the robe to a bewildered looking Ginny. 

            Her hands held it loosely, unsurely and she looked with a bit of confusion to the two seventh years waiting with nearly identical looks of impatience on their faces. 

            "What?"

            "Put the cloak on Weasley." 

            "Oh." Ginny pulled the shimmering material over her head and made to follow Draco and Blaise as they headed for the exit of the dormitory. She trotted a little to keep up to their long strides as they strode purposefully through the common room. _This looks different from way up high._

            _I'm going back to the tower! _She sang over and over in her head, nearly missing the exit as Blaise and Draco continued on in front of her. 

            The halls weren't crowded but curfew was soon and two Slytherins and the Gryffindor hurried through the dungeons and towards the Gryffindor Common Room. Ginny skipped a little bit underneath the cloak as they entered the hallway of the fat lady's portrait. Blaise and Draco stopped and sunk into the shadows and Draco suddenly pulled the invisibility cloak off of Ginny. 

            "Remember Weasley," he hissed "I've got a signature. Don't' ever try anything."

            "You don't have to worry about me Malfoy." Ginny ground out in response as she met his flinty gaze. "You got your revenge. But, I'd watch your back."

            Ginny pulled away from the two and flinched as she met Blaise's cold speculative gaze. Quickly she turned and started walking to the portrait, have expecting Malfoy to run from behind her and grab her again. _I will not run, show no fear, no fear no fear._

            Ginny was twenty feet from the portrait hole when it happened. She couldn't' move, she ran into a sort of barrier or force field and she couldn't move forward.  

            She strained vainly against it as her heart started beating madly. _No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no NO, NO, NO!!!! _Ginny whipped her head around in panic and looked at the two Slytherins fifteen feet away from her. 

            Blaise was looking at Draco with something akin to amusement in his eyes. "You've really done it now Malfoy."

            "Oh shit." Malfoy's eyes widened as Ginny stood looking at them, tears in her eyes. 

            "This is not fair." She said quietly. "Not fair. Malfoy, what've you done!?" She begged her amber eyes pleading. 

            "Quiet Weasley," Draco rushed forward and grabbed her arm forcefully "and follow me before you wake up the whole bloody castle. Zabini, lets go."

            Ginny rubbed with her free hand at her eyes as she followed behind Draco. "Where're we going?" She sniffled out. This could not be happening, her life sucked. She decided bitterly. 

            "Stop your pathetic crying Weasley."  Draco's fingers were digging into Ginny's wrist and she bit her lip against the pain. "We're going back to our dorm, we'll hash this problem out there."

            "Malfoy." With the one word Zabini handed him the shimmery cloak, and Draco in turned passed it over to Ginny, releasing her arm as she draped the cloak over herself. 

            If Ginny had thought they were moving quickly to the Gryffindor Common Room, she was now in awe at the speed at which the three students traversed the corridors back to the Slytherin dungeons. 

            Once safely through the dark common room and ensconced in the Seventh year boys dorm room, Draco immediately began rifling through his stuff, searching for the slip of parchment the instructions for the soft cloth collar that Ginny had worn as a cat. 

            Ginny meanwhile saw the scrap of green cloth resting almost underneath his bed. _It must have broken off when he transformed me back. That can't be good._ She picked it up and held it gingerly between her fingers. Blaise saw it and snatched it from her. 

            "Malfoy. Here." He tossed the strip of cloth to Draco who caught it neatly out of the air. In Draco's other hand was the slip of parchment with the written instructions. He sank down onto his bed behind him and began avidly scanning the contents of the parchment paper. His face blanched and seeing this Ginny paled. Blaise looked disgustingly amused. 

            "What? What does it say?" Ginny questioned anxiously, brushing wayward curls out of her face.  

            "Read for yourself." Malfoy thrust the paper in her direction and she grabbed it with a wary look underneath lowered brows cast towards him.

            She skimmed the paper quickly, her eyes widening and her mouth opening a little bit in shock.  _Not good! Not good! _Her mind chanted at her. _Shut up! _ She told  her subconscious angrily. An angry frown was now marring her features, a red flush spreading across her cheekbones. "You didn't' read the small print Malfoy." She said dangerously. 

            "No. I didn't. A mistake that I don't' believe I'll ever make again." He responded calmly. 

            "I can't believe you left it on me when you transfigured me back!" she shook her head as she said this quietly. "How do we undo it."

            "Weasley, your guess is as good as mine. In case you didn't' notice, the 'small print' you mentioned, isn't exactly small print. It's in red, says "read this at all costs before using item" and has several flashing warning signs placed underneath it proclaiming its irreversibility."

            Ginny scowled. "The teachers must know something." She shot a glare at Malfoy. 

            He glared right back unflinchingly. 

            "Er, I really don't hate to interrupt you two, so I've got an idea." Blaise walked forward. "You do need to go to the teachers," he held up a hand to stop Draco's protests "but if you don't' want to get in trouble, _either_ of you, then all you need is a really good cover story."

            "Have anything in mind Zabini?" Draco asked dryly as he rose and started to slowly pace. 

            Blaise grinned, so Ginny frowned. "Actually, I do."

            "Well let's hear it then." Draco was flustered; he kept brushing his hands through his hair. 

            "You two can say you were corroborating on a subject of interest to you both, transforming humans. Researching early animagus or something like that. You say you were stupid, both apologize profusely, both proclaim each others innocence profusely and the professors should help you."

            Ginny looked at him balefully. "Why shouldn't he get in trouble? He deserves it. Ten times over. And then some."

            "Weasley, you signed a contract that said you wouldn't get me in trouble." Draco stated with a pointed look at her. Ginny's face blanched as she remembered the exact wording of the contract, then she scowled, as she remembered the repercussion of wizarding contracts broken. 

            "Fine. I won't tell. But you'd better appreciate this."

            "This is mutually beneficial. No where is there anything that says I have to be grateful." 

            "Shut up."

            "Ouch." Blaise commented snidely with a roll of his eyes. "Shouldn't' you two be going now? Seeing the headmaster and all that?"

            Ginny looked at Draco who smirked back and then he led the way out of the door, not bothering with the invisibility cloak this time, it's usefulness had expired. 

            They stopped outside the entrance to Snape's classroom. "What are we doing _here?"_ Ginny asked with a frown. "I thought we had to see Professor Dumbledore…"

            "And how are we supposed to see the headmaster without a teacher to say the password with us?" Draco asked rhetorically as he swung the door open to reveal a sallow Severus Snape working at his desk, marking papers with a perpetual sneer on his face. 

"Idiot, moron, stupid, Longbottom, dimwit…" Ginny could hear him muttering sneeringly under his breath as he flipped through the papers and she choked on a laugh. 

Snape's head flew up to see the two students in front of him and his brows lowered. "Mr. Malfoy, what are you doing out and about this late? With a Weasley no less?" His raked his scornful gaze over Ginny. 

"We're in a bit of a fix Professor." Draco started and Ginny remained silent. "And we need to see Dumbledore."

"What sort of fix?" His eyes went suspiciously to Ginny taking in her pale face. "Your brother has been looking for you. Everywhere." 

Ginny nodded. "I know. Only Draco and I – "

"Were doing an experiment. And it went wrong. And now we need Dumbledore's help." Draco cut in quickly with a sly look at Ginny who nodded dumbly in affirmation. 

Snape looked suspiciously from Draco to Ginny, his black eyes hard. 

"We're prepared to face the consequences sir." Draco said a little stiffly and Ginny thought she saw a quick flash of amusement highlight Snape's eyes. 

"What sort of experiment were you two doing?" His voice was worried a little bit and Ginny met Draco's eyes helplessly. 

"We were…experimenting with transfiguration. Turning people into animals…"

Snape eyebrows rose a bit. "And?"

"Well that part worked. Honestly, I'm not stupid, I know how to transfigure humans." Draco said a bit defensively. 

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm not questioning your…ability, but, what went wrong?" 

"Oh, err, see, when I turned Weasley into a cat, I put a collar on her…"

Ginny saw him faltering and took up the refrain. "And we didn't know it was a magical collar, he got his mum to send it to him from home, and now there are some – "

"Lingering side-effects." Draco finished.

Snape's eyebrows went up a bit more. "What sort of side effects?" he asked slowly in his nasal voice. 

            Draco caught Ginny's eye and nodded. Snape watched curiously as she began to back away, quickly hitting the fifteen foot barrier.

            "She can't any farther than that sir." Draco said, unable to help his mouth from quirking in an amused smirk. 

            Ginny boiled in outrage. "It's your fault Malfoy." She said, forgetting there was a professor there. 

            "Miss Weasley, as much I would love to listen to you prattle on about blame, this is a matter that must be taken to Professor Dumbledore."

            "Well that's why we came to you!" She said a bit fiercely. 

            "Refrain from being impertinent Miss Weasley. Perhaps you were better suited as a cat, I doubt then you could speak." 

            Draco smirked widely "That's what I said sir."

            Snape simply cast a quelling glance at Draco, and the vindictive smirk quickly faded from his face. 

            "Follow me." With a swirl of robes Snape left his dark class and led the way up to the Headmaster's office. 

            Draco shot yet another smirk at Ginny who glared right back, her eyes narrowing. Snape's booted feet made loud footfalls in the stone corridors, and Ginny glanced down at her sock clad feet and shivered. It was cold and her toes were going numb, while shivers prickled along her arms, raising pale hairs. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms to warm them. 

            _Did I not debate going out in my pyjamas when this whole bloody mess began?? _She berated herself. A thick cloak was thrust into her arms. Ginny looked in surprise to Draco, now only in a sweater, and a nicely fitted sweater at that. _No Ginny! Bad Ginny! _

            "You're cold Weasley, put it on." He hissed at her with an authoritative glare. Ginny shrugged into the heavy cloak and sighed. It was thick and smelled distinctively male. 

            She glanced sideways at Draco's impassive face, staring straight ahead. "Th-thank you." She said quickly, her lashes lowering over her eyes in an embarrassed gesture. 

            Draco didn't say anything in response; they were at the gargoyle statue, and on their way to see Dumbledore. 

            "Peanut Brittle" Snape said, derision apparent in his tone.  

            The stone staircase came spiralling down as the gargoyle pulled away and Ginny's eyes widened in amazement though she'd seen the sight before, back in her first year. 

_            Dumbledore's office is truly amazing._ Ginny thought wonderingly as she looked around, gaped more like it, in awe. She had been so preoccupied the first time she was in here, she hadn't noticed her surroundings at all. 

            "Shut your mouth Weasley, bugs will fly in." Draco leaned over and whispered in her ear, his warm breath making her curl her head down towards her shoulder. 

            Snape was talking to Dumbledore who was listening with clear blue eyes growing more serious by the moment. Ginny started to fidget nervously while Draco stood with an aura of calmness, watching the proceedings with disguised interest.

Finally Dumbledore turned to look at the two students waiting several paces back from his desk. 

            "Well." He said slowly. "Come, take a seat, both of you." He gestured with a hand to the seats in front of his desk. Ginny hurried to sit down on the edge of her seat while Draco leisurely got comfortable. 

            "You two are in a bit of a fix." He said very seriously. "And I don't' know if I can help you. I'd need to see the product first hand, and then it will still take some time to figure out how to undo the effects."

            "But it is possible right professor?" Ginny questioned anxiously, her eyes wide in her face, freckles standing out starkly on her cheekbones. 

            Dumbledore tilted his head at her seriously. "I'm not sure yet Ginny. I'll try my hardest. And of course, Professors Snape and McGonagall will assist me. You two are after all, from their houses."

            "Professor Dumbledore sir," Draco said 'humbly', "what do we do until then?"

            White brows lowered over serious blues eyes. "You two can't get fifteen feet away from each other correct."

            Ginny and Draco nodded. "Then all I can see that you two may do, is stay within fifteen feet of each other."

            "What?!" cried Ginny.

            "You cant' be serious!" cried Draco.  

            Dumbledore regarded the two students for a moment more, until they were both fidgeting under his stern gaze. "Be thankful I am not expelling you two, for that is an appropriate action in such a case. As it is, 100 points from each your houses and an obviously mutual detention for the next two weeks with whatever teacher has need of assistance."

            Ginny groaned. The whole bloody school would know what happened to her. Her house would be outraged. But Dumbledore was still talking and she quickly tuned back in. 

            "What I would like to know," his gaze swung back and forth between the two of them "is why you two in particular decided to work on this 'project'?" 

            Ginny shot a panicky glance at Draco who looked at her a mite scornfully before replying.

            "Professor, not to be rude or anything, but I can't see how our relationship" Or lack thereof, he added in his mind. "is any of your business."

            Ginny aghast at Draco's audacity and insolence. But it worked. 

            "Ah. Quite right young Draco, quite right. Now, there is the matter of class schedules for the two of you, and sleeping arrangements, for we must consider the possibility that this will not be resolved by school on Monday. As well, your parents must be notified."

            "A-Are you sure professor?" Ginny asked timidly, suddenly horrified that her mum would know of this.

            Snape suddenly broke in. "Perhaps, professor Dumbledore, it would not prudent to Mr. Malfoy's father of this situation, certainly not beneficial at all." He cast a meaningful glance at Dumbledore, who nodded sagely. 

            "I see your point Severus and I agree. However, Ginny's parents should be notified."  
            "Certainly." Snape acquiesced without a second thought.

            _That's it; I'm due for how many howlers now?_ She groaned to herself. 

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**AN:** Thank you to all you lovely people who made my day by reviewing, Special thanks to **taty_chan** who informed me that the Brazilian version portrays Blaise as a guy. Nifty. Oh and hey, thanks to **princess17** who made my week by spelling grammar, grammer ^_^

**Desperados**, you may translate this into Russian, email me at eliselowes@hotmail.com.

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	5. Chapter the Fifth

**AN:** Bwahahaha. Not as long as usual – it's late, my parents are in bed, and if I stay up any later, I risk getting…well some sort of privilege taken away from me…because you know, I live at home…Ugh. Re-posted because it' now **_SPELLCHECKED!_** But still, forgive the errors that may have seeped in here. 

  
**Disclaimer**: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

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That night Ginny sat in her partitioned off corner of the hospital ward, attempting to sleep. A light shone through the heavy partition from Malfoy's corner of the room. With a 'humph' she rolled over and faced the tall paned window, through which bright stars were shining. It would be peaceful and soothing if she weren't so troubled. 

            Ron had been in to see her, exploded and then been dragged out by Harry and Hermione. It was Draco's fault of course. He goaded Ron on wickedly; perhaps he had a death wish. Ginny didn't know, and Ginny didn't really care. She hoped. She could still feel his lips on hers as she lay in the dark and it disturbed her. Not because she still felt them, though that in and of itself was odd, but because she wished he would do it again. It was enough for her to be sent to St. Mungo's she was sure. 

            The light from the other side of the partition went out and all that could be heard were rustling sounds as the Slytherin settled into his bed to sleep. Yet still that blessed unconsciousness was eluding Ginny and she rolled and threw her blankets off her with a gusty sigh. 

            She 'eeped' as Malfoy's voice suddenly cut through the darkness. "Weasel," his voice was hoarse from tiredness and fatigue, and thick with exasperation "stop tossing. You're keeping me up."

            Ginny moved her mouth derisively, miming his words with a sneer. "And we can't have you not getting your beauty sleep can we?" she snorted to herself as she pulled her blankets back up around her. 

            "I heard that." Came the groggy voice. 

            "Whatever." 

            "Stop talking."

            "You just always need the last word don't you."

            "This is ridiculous; I am not getting into a childish spat at three o'clock in the morning about the last word." Draco's voice was accompanied by a snort. 

            Ginny refused to answer as she burrowed her head on her pillow; she started to count the stars in individual panes, softly under her breath and slowly, slowly, sleep overtook her. 

            The morning sunlight slanted into Ginny's eyes. She groaned and pulled the blankets up around her head. Unexpectedly a shadow moved in front of the sun's rays and she murmured a tired thank you and brought her head out from underneath blanket, catching a glimpse of a stony Blaise Zabini by her bed. She shot up into a sitting position like a rocket.             

            "What are you doing here?" She yelped and rubbed at her sleep encrusted eyes. 

            "He's waking you up so I don't miss breakfast." Draco pulled the partition back, already showered and dressed. "Don't even think of trying to make me late. You stay too long in the shower, and I'll drag you down to breakfast naked."

            Ginny blinked at him owlishly as she rolled ungracefully off her bed into a standing pose. "It is way too early to deal with you." She murmured as she stumbled past him on the way to the loo. 

            Draco smirked at her retreating back. 

            "So what's the story about…you know?" Blaise questioned as Ginny withdrew from sight.

            "Oh. What we discussed. Pretty much." Draco's head cocked to the side as he considered what they had told the professors. "We had to do a bit of improv."

            Blaise quirked an eyebrow exquisitely "How so?"

            "When they asked why she and I were working together on this project."

            Blaise grinned evilly. "What did you tell them?" 

            "That it wasn't any of their business." He glared at Blaise who laughed suddenly. 

            "So they took it to mean you two are…you know…"

            "Most likely." Draco said glowering at his shoes.

            Blaise laughed shortly and Draco scowled at him. "It's not funny Zabini; my reputation will be shot."

            "Yours?! What about mine?" Ginny walked out with damp hair hanging around her shoulders. "You don't have to face an angry brother!"

            "She's got a point Draco." He turned to Ginny "That was fast." 

            "When you've got six brothers, you learn quickly that hot water doesn't last long." She said dryly, moving past him and closing the partition. 

Ginny struggled on a sweater, and quickly, without bothering to dry her hair, wound it up into a hasty bun. She pulled on her jeans and shoes just as quickly, and by the time she was done, was flushed from the exertion and speed at which she had been moving. 

"Finally." Malfoy said as she walked back into their sight and out of her separated cubicle. 

Ginny scrunched her nose at him and slung her book bag over her sweater as they three walked out of the hospital wing and down to the dining hall. 

Students were still filing in when Ginny and Draco arrived with Blaise. Ginny shot a glance towards the Gryffindor table and moved a few steps, while Draco moved a several steps towards his own house table. 

Ginny shot a disbelieving glance at Draco who returned it darkly. "If you even think I will eat among dirty Gryffindors, you've got another thing coming Weasley." He stated forebodingly. 

"Well what about me?! I'm supposed to eat with Slytherins?! How is that fair?"

Draco smirked and started to walk towards the Slytherin table. "It's not. Deal with it, you're making a scene."

Ginny caught the angry gaze her brother shot at Malfoy as she reluctantly followed his long strides. _Great, why doesn't someone just kill me now. _ 

Ginny shrunk further and further down in her seat at the Slytherin table avoiding the heated and angry glares of the house that were being sent her way. Her face was in a permanent state of red embarrassment and she could fairly feel Draco's glee at her discomfort exuding from him in waves. She barely touched her meal as the surly Slytherins grumbled and narrowed their eyes menacingly at her. 

If I wasn't so intimidated, I might think they were funny the way they are all shooting me the same faces and saying the same things. 'How to be Slytherin' lessons. I wonder if they give those in first year…Ginny mused in speculation.

Blaise looked at hunched figure of Ginny and took momentary pity of her discomfort. She wasn't such a bad sort after all…well, that was debateable. "Hey Weasley, just wait till you have classes with him." He grinned evilly at her. He was great at the whole 'comfort' thing.

Ginny ducked her head further and inched away from Draco and accidently backed into one Pansy Parkinson as the Slytherin Seventh year slid into the vacant seat by Ginny. 

"Eep." Ginny jumped, causing several pairs of eyes to become riveted on her. She blushed and tried to hide. 

"Weasley," Pansy spoke quickly, jabbing one finger into Ginny's arm. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Ginny was bewildered. "Huh?" she answered wittily. 

"I mean, what the hell were you thinking getting Draco in trouble like this? You must have a death wish." Pansy's face contorted into what Ginny supposed Pansy thought was an intimidating stare. 

Ginny turned and glared fiercely at Draco who was laughing silently, grey eyes flashing. "What did you tell them happened?" She demanded with narrowed eyes.

"Why Weasley, surely you remember hexing me and it backfiring…" 

"I hate you." 

"Likewise." He turned to his plate without a second glance. 

Ginny shot a sly glance at the smirking form of Pansy on the other side of her. "That's not what it seemed like when you were snogging me silly." She shot a triumphant look at Draco's suddenly appalled face and smirked. 

Blaise laughed and Pansy just stared in shock at Draco. "What?" She gasped out.

"Don't worry Parkinson, I didn't want him to." Ginny said quickly. "I fought, but he was insistent; you don't have to worry about me taking him away from you." Ginny intentionally made it worse.

"What?!" Pansy yelled shrilly.

Ginny began to eat her food in satisfaction. 

"Little bitch." Draco hissed in her ear before turning to placate Pansy. Ginny simply smiled at her food and winked at Blaise who was shaking his head at her in awe. 

"Spunky." He said quietly to himself. 

"What were doing?" Draco rounded on her outside of the hall.

"What were _you_ doing?" Ginny shot back at him, glaring up at him. She was by no means short, but Draco still made her feel as if she was three feet tall. 

"Look Weasley," Draco ground his teeth and a sneered as he closed his eyes. He looked like he was swallowing something very difficult, his pride "since we're going to be in very close quarters for the next little while, we're making a truce." 

"We are?" Ginny asked sceptically, loathing and disbelief etched on her face.

"Weasley, yes." He stated firmly. "You stop making my life miserable, and I'll try to refrain from making yours any worse."

"Bite me." Ginny turned, thinking to walk away, but Malfoy grabbed her arm and pulled her back. 

"I don't know how far away you were planning on getting." he smirked at her chagrin "And Weasley, we _will_ have a truce."

Ginny looked up at him and was suddenly caught up in his intense gaze. "Uh…" She managed to say. _Oh brilliant Ginny, ruddy brilliant. You get manhandled by the devil incarnate and all you can think of is 'uh…'_. _Stupid, Stupid, Stupid. _

"Weasley, where do you want to go?"

Ginny looked at him in shock. "What?"

Draco grew irritated. "Are you deaf Weasley?"

"Oh, no. I was just surprised you asked." She wrapped her hands nervously in the hem of her shirt as Draco let go of her arms. 

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Are you being deliberately annoying?"

"No…" Ginny said slowly. 

"Fine. Whatever. I'm going to do homework in…our room." He grimaced at the term. "Let's go." Draco turned and began striding down the hall and Ginny rushed to catch up. 

The sound of quills scratching parchment and thick pages being turned filled the makeshift double room as Draco wrote and Ginny read her textbooks. Snow began to fall in thick flakes through the window. Ginny, curled in the chair on her side of the room, glanced through the panes and smiled to herself in pleasure. The partition had been pulled back when the two had come back in and neither had bothered to push it back into place, leaving the room open and bright.

Draco saw the snow falling outside the window from his desk and grinned. It was the first snow of the season. With another small smile he turned back to his homework. 

Three people burst into the peaceful atmosphere with riotous noise. 

"Ginny!"

"Gin!"

"Malfoy?!"

Ginny rolled her eyes and Draco with a look of exasperation shot at Ginny stood up languidly and with very deliberate motions, pulled the partition closed. 

Ginny turned to her brother, Harry and Hermione, her brows lifted in question. 

"We came to see how you're coping with dealing with Ferret-boy." Ron said seriously. 

Ginny shook her head a bit. She had been feeling so calm before the three stooges had come in. Ron interpreted her gesture as one of distress at Malfoy's presence and relief at their arrival. Hermione moved to comfort her. 

"Oh Ginny…" She sat down on the arm of the chair and leaned down around her. "We're sorry we didn't keep Malfoy away from you like we said we would. Are you going to be okay? Do you need anything?"

A retching sound came through the partition and Ginny stifled a smirk. _Dear god, it takes you two days and _that's _the apology you come up with. Somehow I'm not surprised. Dumbasses. _

"I know." She said softly, meekly and gave Hermione a pathetically happy grin. "But I'm so glad you came and said that too me. It doesn't make me feel as bad now. Thanks to _all_ of you." _Give me an Oscar right now_…

Ginny almost blew it by laughing at the pure relief that shone on Ron and Harry's faces. At the same time, she felt a bitter resentment towards them. 

_I hate you, I hate you, go away, go away. _She chanted in her head. Smiling sweetly, she listened to them talk to her, responding quickly and shortly, hoping they'd get the hint and leave.  And still they talked on. 

Draco threw down his quill. He couldn't concentrate with the chattering of the Gryffindors just beyond the separation. He ran long hands through now thoroughly messy hair. He could just see the grins and smiles of the cheerful dream team. And then without warning, in his head he saw the exasperated face of Ginny as she listened to them, her irritation and her sadness. 

Draco smirked to himself. Those three heroes were probably so self-involved they couldn't even see what Ginny was thinking if she screamed it at their thick heads. He realized that Hermione and Harry and Ron were doing all the talking and he began to tap on his desk. 

Why won't they leave? He asked himself over and over. Can't they tell Weasley's not responding? 

"Damn Gryffs…" he muttered as his unseeing gaze moved to the snow falling outside. With a sudden movement, he stood and pulled the partition back. 

Ron froze mid-sentence, Harry glared and Hermione frowned. 

"Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice that you three dimwits are still here." Draco said coldly. 

Ginny stifled a laugh in her hand (let it never be said she didn't appreciate wit when aimed at her brother) and Ron looked at her suspiciously. 

"No one asked you to come in here Ferret. Leave." Ron hissed.

"No one asked you to come in here either Weasley. And _I'm_ trying to do homework." 

Ron looked at Ginny. "My sister's here. I can come visit if I want."

"Ah but does she want?" He raised his brows and sneered at the three. Poor Ron looked confused as Ginny blushed. Hermione shot a perceptive look at Ginny and had the good grace to redden when she finally realized that Ginny was tired and angry. 

"Um. We're going to go." Hermione dragged the bewildered boys out after her.

Draco watched them go with a flinty look, before retreating back to his desk once more. 

"Thanks." The whisper was so soft that he almost wasn't sure if he heard it. "I didn't do it for you." He answered equally as soft. 

"I know." Ginny stared at the pages in her book but couldn't read the text for the tears blurring her amber hued eyes. Why did her brother and friends have to be so dense? Why couldn't they just be…normal? Why couldn't _she_ just be normal? Life was full of Angst. Damn. 

Draco listened to her quiet sniffles and barely suppressed a roar of outrage; first the dream team disrupted his homework, now this. In disgust, he threw down his quill once more. "Weasley, if wallow in self-pity you must, do it quietly."

Ginny looked over at him with burning eyes. "You should've just left me as a cat."

"A problem that will soon be remedied if you don't stop your howling."

"Why are you so insensitive?" Ginny asked, pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes. 

"Genetics." Draco drawled dryly and Ginny grinned half-heartedly.

"Don't worry I'll stop. Those three aren't' worth my time anyways." 

"Truer words were never spoken." Draco tried to keep going on his homework, but now he was unable to concentrate and his gaze kept going back to the snow falling thickly. He could hear screams and shouts of laughter from outside. He started tapping his quill.

Ginny looked at the tapping quill in irritation. Now she was reading her texts and he was distracting her. "Stop it Malfoy."

"Stop what?"

"Tapping your quill."

He stopped suddenly, looking at his hands in shock as if he'd never seen them before. Ginny smirked at the look on his face. 

"Weasley, I want to go outside."

Ginny sighed. "Now?"

"Yes."

"Fine." She shut her book and started to rise. Standing and seeing Draco grab his warm clothes, her face paled and she sat back down. 

"C'mon Weasley, let's go." He turned an angry face to her. Ginny crossed her arms. 

            "No."

            "Why not?" He tossed his green and grey Slytherin scarf around his neck. 

            Ginny's face was red as she mumbled something to herself. 

            "Weasley, stop it and tell me why not." His stance was commanding and Ginny flushed harder, her eyes sparking. 

            "Fine. It's because I don't have any winter things this year. I'll go out there and freeze." She spat this at him and glared, waiting for his laughter, retort, scathing remark. She was totally unprepared for what happened. 

            "Huh." He nodded thoughtfully, obviously restraining a smirk. "Then you can borrow my cloak and gloves."

            Ginny's mouth dropped open. "Who are you and what did you do to the real evil, sadistic bastard Malfoy?"

            "Why Weasley I'm hurt," he tossed her a heavy cloak, warm woollen mitts, a sweater and a black toque. "If you're going to insult me, at least get it right. You forgot, cruel, insensitive, Death-eater, mama's-boy, prick, and pansy. Learn to be original." He chided her. 

            Ginny's mouth remained open in shock. Was he _joking_ with her?? Waiting for the catch, she pulled on his heavy cloak over his sweater and then wrapped her own red and yellow scarf around her neck. She stared at him confused, and watched him out of the corner of her eyes as she walked beside him to the exit.

            The snowball was unexpected. It hit Ginny in the stomach as she came out the front door; another got Draco on the chest. Students had set up an ambush for the front entrance and were pelting their peers exiting the castle into the courtyard. 

            Ginny laughed and ducked to the ground as another came flying and Draco followed, a petulant frown on his face. "Lighten up Malfoy, you're the one who wanted to come out here in the first place."

            Ginny's eyes were sparkling in fun, red curls were escaping from the toque and falling into her eyes; the auburn locks liberally dusted with snow.  

            "Shut up Kitten." He said snidely back to her. 

            Ginny made a face at him then surreptitiously loaded snow up in one hand, and then shoved it in his face. Jumping up, she ran, Fifteen feet away. Then stopped. Malfoy stood up and grinned. "Dumbass." He said with a smirk. 

            Ginny threw a snowball. It got him in the chest once more. She grinned and ducked low to the ground as incoming missiles were flying from all directions. 

            Malfoy moved towards her quickly and Ginny ran further. Draco ran to overtake her. His longer strides allowed him to over take her and with a leap, he tackled her to the ground. 

            Rolling so she didn't break anything as Draco tackled her, Ginny suddenly found herself on top of him, held closely. His eyes took on an evil glint and she struggled to pull away from him, laughing at the sight of the patches of snow all over his face.

            Draco quickly rolled over so Ginny was underneath his body. Using his knees, he held in her in place while in one hand he scooped up snow. Ginny's eyes grew wide but she couldn't stop laughing and panting from running. 

            "Payback time Ginny." Draco said with an evil grin as he thrust the snow into her face. 

            Ginny sputtered and struggled and suddenly the snow was gone, leaving a cold tingling sensation all over her face and down her shirt where melted snow was dripping. Instead she was now looking up into Malfoy's very close face, laughing softly, a grin parting her red lips. 

            Draco smiled at her, his cheeks had red spots on them and his breath was mingling with hers in the icy air. He leaned in closer and Ginny waited. 

The kiss sent fire down to Ginny's toes and her stomach clenched funnily as he continued kissing her in the cold snow. 

A snowball hit them with a 'splat'. "Malfoy! Get off her before her brother comes." Blaise glared at the two.

Draco broke away from Ginny, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Bastard." Ginny said as she smacked his arm roughly. 

"You only say that because you enjoyed it." He shot back at her. 

"You wish." She responded as she ignored his hand outstretched to help her to her feet. 

"Geez Malfoy, if snog her you must, for chrissake don't do it public where there are students watching. Imagine what would happen if Potter and his friends found out, and then Pansy found out, and then Snape found out and then all her brothers found out and then – "

"I get your point Zabini. Dire consequences, fate worse than death, etc, etc."

"At least one of you is paying attention." Blaise motioned towards Ginny who was staring behind Blaise with blank expression of shock and terror on her face. Draco looked beyond Blaise as well and all colour faded from his face. Blaise whirled. There were at least fifteen students staring at the three. 

"How much do you think they saw?" Ginny whispered in horror out of the side of her mouth. 

"Judging from their expressions of terror and evil glee, enough to ensure your lives are going to be living hells." Blaise said. "But look on the bright side, now the professors will believe your story about why you were working together in the first place."

"Thanks for the optimism." Draco commented dryly.

"Suddenly, I don't feel like being outside." Ginny said quietly, soberly. 

Draco nodded curtly and strode of towards the castle, Ginny and Blaise walking a few steps behind him. He was Draco Malfoy, and anyone who dared to cross him, watch out. 

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**AN2:** now go, click and review. Thank you to all who have reviewed, too many of you to name, but suffice it to say, when my inbox is full of review alerts, it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. Much like when you dream about spooning with Draco Malfoy on a couch……mmm. Uh…right. Review. ^_^ (I am not a freak)

**Magic Girl,** I agree with you about the nice Draco. He's so much cooler when he's evil. Harder to write too…  
  



	6. Chapter the Sixth

**AN:** do you see how short this is? Life has been crazy busy. Let me elaborate though I'm sure you don't care that much. I'm a lifeguard, and finishing up yet ANOTHER course so I can actually work for Leisure Aquatics according to their training. So my weekends have been full. I just got my drivers license and spent my weeknights driving for practice, and I just had ankle surgery. Did I mention I'm in school???? I'm very sorry for the lack of length, lack of recognizable plot, and lack of spell checking. Consider this an interlude for more exciting (and longer) things to come. Hopefully a conclusion soon *winks* ^_^

Well, happy reading. 

 **Disclaimer:** Not mine *****points to JK Rowling* It's hers. Well the characters at least.

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Second class of the first day with Malfoy. Life couldn't get any worse. Scratch that, it would and Ginny knew it. How many more hours were there until the day was over and she could retreat to her room? 

Draco's face was in a permanent scowl, red spots on his cheeks in a state of heightened anger. Ginny was shrinking into her worn cloak as much as possible, attempting to be invisible to avoid the snickers, the jibes, the glares and the taunting. 

Her brother was mad at her too; he had sneered at her and even refusing to meet her gaze in classes. Ginny was attending all classes with Draco. It had been decided what with the testing, it would be better for Draco if he wasn't taken out of his classes, and it certainly couldn't harm a bright student like Virginia Weasley to be advanced, no matter how temporarily, a year.  

Ginny laid her head on her arms and hid from the cruel world as Draco sat stiffly, staring with intensity at the notes, beside her. She hated him, what had she been thinking letting him kiss her?! Stupid, stupid, stupid. And now there were rumours, bad ones, worse ones, and ones that would have besmirched her reputation, had she one worth besmirching. As it was, Draco was doing much worse than she on the besmirching front and in that Ginny took some small consolation. 

Transfiguration was over. Two down…how many more to go? Ginny groaned.

Draco paced his side of the room agitatedly. He could hear the faint movements of Weasley stirring in her sleep from beyond the partition; she was groaning a little bit and tossing about fitfully. Nightmare probably. He smirked to himself and began tapping the fingers of one hand repeatedly against his other, behind his back. Not for any reason, he was irritated, annoyed, bored and couldn't get to sleep. 

"That's the last time I drink three cups of coffee while studying…no more…I need sleep. I may be terrified of becoming an insomniac…" He cocked his head curiously, pausing mid pace before continuing.

Hi grey and green tie was loose around his collar and the cuffs of his white sleeves were rolled up. In his sock feet and with now floppy hair, without his cement-like gel, he was the epitome of relaxation. Except for the pacing…

"Why am I pacing? Why am I talking to myself? No more coffee, ever." Draco shook off the effects of the beloved beverage and threw himself into his chair, staring with intense fascination at his capable hands, noting the calluses coating the pads of his fingers. "Dad shouldn't see those…" He muttered to himself, his forehead puckering in thought. 

He dimmed his light as he suddenly caught the scuffing of feet from outside the hospitable wing. Accompanying whispers floated in as the door creaked open and he grinned in fiendish delight. The three musketeers had come to play. He stood silently, glad he had turned out the light as the students crept in stealthily. 

"Why are we doing this again?"

"We need to get some incriminating evidence against Malfoy. I know he was behind Ginny's disappearance."

"Geez, boys." Came Hermione's exasperated whisper. "Ron, we went over this before we left the common room. Didn't you pay any attention to us?"

"I was," Malfoy heard knuckles cracking and he winced at the image of an angry Ron Weasley "too busy beating that mannequin of Draco that Seamus transfigured for us…" His speech had deteriorated into a bestial growl. 

Draco winced but continued listening. The boy wonder spoke up, his nasal-voice as always the embodiment of good sense. 

"Well since this is the only time we'll be able to speak to Ginny without the interference of Malfoy, shouldn't we at least make sure he's really asleep, before we wake Ginny up needlessly?"

Ron heaved an exasperated sigh. "I tell you, he's to vain to give up his beauty sleep…" He threw back the curtain to Draco's side of the room, flinching as he caught sight of the very angry, very pale face of one caffeinated Draco Malfoy.

"Should've listened to Scar Face, Weasel." He hissed in anger. "And now that your plans have been foiled once more, I suggest you _get out"_ he hissed "before I do something rash." His face was cold in rage. "Again."

Ron's face contorted. "So you did do something to Ginny!" He accused, his blue eyes sparking in anger. 

"Wouldn't you like to know." He smirked knowingly and shut his mouth, pale brows lowering over glinting grey eyes. 

Ron simmered angrily, his hands clenching and unclenching. "Ron, it's not worth it! We'll get caught if you fight now!" Hermione tugged at his arm and Harry nodded as he glared at Draco from flashing green eyes. 

Ron growled but allowed for himself to be pulled away and towards the door. "This isn't over Malfoy."

Malfoy just smirked at them as they left. Turning he heard a muffled sound from Ginny's bed. He whirled and saw he quietly laughing, tears streaming form her eyes.

"What's so funny Weasley?" He spat out.

Ginny sat up and wiped away the signs of mirth. "Do you realize that this animosity between you and those three is hilarious? It's just like watching some muggle movie!"

Draco's face darkened. "I wouldn't' know. He turned abruptly and made to close the partition on the sounds of her quieting laughter. He stopped and turned. "Were you awake the whole time?"

Ginny smirked in a distinctly un-Gryffindor-ish manner. "Of course."

He nodded. "Couldn't sleep?" he questioned. 

"Truthfully, yes." Ginny conceded. 

"Me either." Draco's face grew thoughtful. "Weasley, are you any good at Chess?"

Ginny looked at him confused before responding. "Why? Do you want to play?"

Draco grew exasperated. "Never mind. Go back to bed." He made to turn once again. 

"No wait, I know how to play chess, I'll play with you." Ginny said with a laugh. "No need to get so offended."

Draco rolled his eyes. 

"Oh that was mature."

"Do you want to play chess or not?"

"Fine. I'll stop." Ginny grabbed a blanket off the foot of her bed and yelped quietly as she set her bare feet on the cold stone floor. 

Draco pulled out a chess set from his trunk and looked around for a spot to set it up. Ginny pointed to their two chairs, and with her wand transfigured a small chess table from a piece of thick parchment. 

Draco drew his own chair close and sat down while Ginny followed and curled up in the second one. She wrapped her blanket securely around herself as Draco set up the chessboard, the black and white pieces yawning as they settled into position. 

Ginny blinked a couple times. She was white. First move. Her mind shut down and conversation, well the conversation that there may have been if it wasn't Draco Malfoy sitting across from her, stopped.

Draco could feel a slow grin growing on his face and he quickly schooled his features. He had been holding back to gauge her ability and completely underestimated the littlest Weasley. So apparently she was more than just a pretty face, she was an excellent strategist too. Draco hadn't played against some one this good since, well since the last time he played his father. Draco subconsciously relaxed, dropping the façade of cool impassivity he normally held. 

Ginny flicked her eyes up to Draco's face quickly. He looked totally different. He didn't look like he was sucking on something sour; instead he looked…pleasant. _Dear God, hell has frozen over! _ She smirked to herself. _Well what did you expect Ginny, that he's an arse all the time?_ She paused. 

The answer was undeniably yes. He _was_ an arse all the time. Even his own house of Slytherins attested to that! He was the king of arse-ness. _And speaking of kings, perhaps you'd better watch yours Ginny, you're two moves away from being in checkmate if you don't concentrate!_

            Three long games later, Ginny dozed off to sleep and Draco, lacking the ambition and motivation to move to his bed, fell asleep in his chair as well. 

            Day broke and Draco cracked an eye open slowly. He could see a red haze through the sleep blurring his eyesight. Slowly he realized that was the sun lighting on Weasley's hair. _Blindingly bright hair. Stupid redheads_. He snarled inwardly. He was not a morning person after being up to the wee small hours. Who was except for freaks and sanity-deprived people?

He hated mornings and he was tired, and he didn't think Dumbledore and Snape had found a solution to his problem of being bound to Weasley yet. 

"If you frown like that for long enough, eventually your face will freeze that way. Of course, since it _is_ an improvement…" Ginny's sleepy voice trailed off, she was obviously awake.

"Shut it Weasley." He growled at her and with rapid movements suddenly left his chair and stalked to the nearby, adjoining washroom. 

Ginny smirked to herself as she watched his angry form stalk away. _Oh nice plan Ginny, hack off Malfoy so you can have a very, very, very bad day as opposed to a very bad day._

She stretched and yawned, her blanket falling down around her. She was very stiff from her night in the chair. No matter how comfortable chairs could be for sitting in, they never seemed to be comfortable for sleeping in. 

She mentally prepared herself for another day of Malfoy's cold silence, cutting remarks or, dare she think it, exciting snogs. She blushed deeply. After all, who wouldn't?

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**AN2:** Reviews make me happy, when I'm happy I write. Constructive reviews (anything but spelling and typos please) make me especially thrilled especially if they are about inconsistencies of plot. 

~It's "keep the writer happy week"~  


	7. Chapter the Seventh

**Disclaimer**: if I owned Harry Potter, why would I be posting stuff on here? I don't own anyone you recognize.

**AN:** Yes, long time in coming. Provincials just finished and I'm done Highschool!!!! Yes, this was a long time in coming. I work as fast as I can and I update as soon as possible. I'm flattered that there were so many reviews begging for quicker updates. However on that note, I cannot work any faster than I can work. I must confess, this has been finished for a while before I posted it. My computers are acting up like the naughty children they are so it took a while to get it onto disk and then posted from somewhere else. It was quickly proofread and edited this time! Enjoy!

Be warned: lack of substantial anything. That comes next chapter. 

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The days developed into a routine, Draco and Ginny went to class and rarely talked. Draco and Ginny ate their meals and rarely talked. A sort of unspoken agreement developed between the Slytherin and the Gryffindor. Draco wouldn't tease Ginny mercilessly, though her brother was still very fair game, and Ginny would try her hardest not to embarrass Draco or talk to Draco in front of Slytherins. 

She still suffered teasing from the Slytherins, but most were scared to offend Draco; the rumours of the ill-fated kiss in the snow had gotten around and quite a few of the students put stock in it, having witnessed it for themselves. 

Nighttime was by far the best. And no, not because of _that_, get your mind out of the gutters, this is rated PG-13 for a perfectly good reason and I'm shocked that you would even consider that. Pardon my interruption. Nighttime was the best because except for the scattered visits of the Dream Team, Draco and Ginny played chess and wonders of all wonders, talked. Oh, it was always talk about trivial things to be sure, but trivial talk can only last so long before more meaningful conversation arises. 

Ginny sat studiously concentrating on a Potions assignment that had been given to her by Snape. In the Seventh Year class she had been partnered with Malfoy, of course, and Snape had insisted on her participating at a Seventh Year level. Ginny struggled but still found that the Seventh Year curriculum was infinitely more enjoyable and interesting than the Sixth Year's. It just meant she had to get a bit of help from Draco. 

"Draco?"

"Hmm?" He was busy doing his own homework.

"Did you already finish that scroll for Potions?"

"Yes."

"May I see it?" Ginny caught a scroll that came flying at her neatly and shook her head slightly before unrolling it and reading it through. Her face lightened as she realized several points she had missed and began hurriedly scribbling them down with her quill. 

Draco slammed a text shut. "Weasley are you done copying yet?"

"I am not copying!" Ginny muttered at him.

"Right, sorry. Are you done transcribing your very specific notes yet?"

"I am not copying, and no." Ginny furrowed her brows and scribbled quicker. "Why are you so anxious for me to be done?" she queried half-focusing on his answer, half paying attention to her homework. 

"Boredom."

"It's sad that you only talk to me out f boredom."

"It's flattering that I talk to you out of boredom."

"True. Otherwise you'd probably be hexing me."

"Or slipping enchanted Diaries into your school work." Draco trailed off as she stiffened and her knuckles grew white around her quill. 

"You're out of line Malfoy. I never told you a thing about that." She said quietly, her hushed voice belying her state of anger. 

Malfoy smirked. "Weasley, my father is the man who gave you that book. Of course I knew." He lied, easily forgetting that it had taken him three years to find out the truth. "But Weasley, I'm not going to tease or be mean about it."

"Right. And Hell has frozen over."

"I'm serious Weasley." He ground out, his face darkening upon her disbelief. "I just want to know more about it."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because is not an answer, it's a stall tactic."

"How quaint. Why don't you just come play chess now? I promise I won't bring it up again."

"For another twenty minutes you mean."

"True. But come play anyways."

Ginny sighed and set down her quill, staring out the window for a few minutes. "When did you find out about the diary?"

"I told you – "

"I know that's not true. You had no idea it was me opening the chamber when it was going on."

Draco spluttered. "Yes I – "

"Harry and Ron disguised themselves as Crabbe and Goyle that year to find out if you knew. I know you didn't." She shot a penetrating glance at him, her golden eyes serious. 

Draco lowered his brows over hard eyes and folded his arms. "I found out third year. I got my invisibility cloak that year and followed the trio around once. I overheard them talking about it."

Ginny moved to the chess set they now had permanently set up in the room and sat down in her seat. Draco moved to the other one and watched her from curious silver eyes as she played with a white pawn in her hands, obviously thinking. 

            "I grew up, well am growing up, as the youngest child and only daughter."

            "Spare me the tragic life story of woe and poverty."

            "Do you want to hear about the Chamber or not smart ass?" Ginny's eyes flashed dangerously. 

            Draco smoothed his sneering features. "Of course, do continue."

            "Jerk. Anyways, because I was the last child, I was often, well most of the time, overshadowed by my brothers even though I am the only girl. 

"When I first came to Hogwarts, I was shamelessly obsessed with your hero and mine, Harry bloody Potter."

Draco snorted derisively and Ginny nodded at him. 

"Anyways, when my brother, Harry and Hermione began to pointedly exclude me I turned to the blank diary I had earlier found in my school supplies that housed the personality of one half-muggle born, Tom Marvolo Riddle." Ginny shuddered and stared at the white pawn, lost in deep reflection and memories. She missed Draco's look of shock when she mentioned Tom's heritage. 

"Anyways, eager for a 'friend'" she said the word scoffing and shook her head at her own naiveté, "I turned to Riddle, who promptly 'took advantage of me' as Dumbledore terms it, and gave me access to the Chamber of Secrets. 

"So long story short, I felt lonely, turned to the Diary and Tom who then proceeded to use me to terrorize the school and attempted to kill me to bring Voldemort back to life. My first year in a nutshell." She remarked bitterly. 

Draco nodded and with a hint of mocking said, "Poor little Gryffindor used and abused by the powers of Evil."

Ginny leaned forward. "I wasn't that abused. Besides, he taught me a lot. I'm smarter because of him. Of course most people who heard about, namely Gryffindors, treat me with a lot of fear. They mostly avoid me."

"Your brother included?"

"Most of the time. That's why I hate him. Well, I don't hate him, I think he could use with a smack upside the head. He ignores me until I'm in danger, or if I am, he doesn't notice until I'm nearly dead. He's too busy hanging off of Harry's every word and Hermione's lips to care that much for family." She twisted the pawn in her hands savagely.      

Draco, unsure of how to respond to her talk, found himself wanting to resort to his favourite way of regaining control of situations, but unable to. "You said that Tom Riddle was half muggle."

Ginny looked up piercingly. "That's right. Doesn't everyone know that?"

Draco felt as if the world had been yanked from underneath his feet. "Everything the Dark Lord says, the anti-muggle stance, the mudblood hating, it's all a joke?"

Ginny cocked her head and answered seriously. "No. Not a joke. If it was a joke, people wouldn't die, Cedric wouldn't have died, Harry's parents wouldn't have died. Children wouldn't have lost parents or parents lost children. If it was a joke, why do all wizarding towns have curfews and why is Dumbledore preparing for war? It's anything _but_ a joke."

"It's sick. He's against…himself."

Ginny watched him steadily from hooded eyes. "You've the dark mark branded in your arm." She stated and his eyes flew to hers. 

"Yes." he narrowed his eyes to slits, watching her warily. 

"You said that having something in your arm doesn't make you a death eater."

"I was wrong." He ground out. "I am a death eater, it's fate that's burned into my soul now Weasley. I can't escape it."

"Even before you knew Voldemort was half-muggle, you had your doubts about being a Death Eater." 

"Weasley," his face closed off growing cold and impassive, "let's play chess." He growled out. 

Ginny nodded and set down her white pawn. First move. 

Draco brooded as he played, and Ginny reflected. It was silent. 

That game was progressing slowly, their skill matched evenly. "Weasley, let's make a bet."

"A bet of what?"

Draco smiled, his eyes glinting coldly. At that moment Ginny remembered all the years spent in fear of him and felt her stomach drop as she saw his hard features. 

"If you win," he paused and a cruel smile slipped onto his face in the growing dusk of the room. "You can tell your brother what happened or something to that extent."

Ginny looked at him suspiciously. "And if you win?

"And if I win." He grinned sneeringly. "If I win, you'll give me something of yours." His eyes flicked deliberately and lazily down her body and Ginny fidgeted. 

"I don't think so Malfoy." She crossed her arms and pulled her robes closer around her, feeling invaded by his eyes. This was the Malfoy she remembered. Cruel and evil. "The bet's not even." She shuddered as his eyes looked at her once more. 

"And life's not fair but there's no use crying over it."

"No thanks Malfoy." She glared at him. 

"So sure that you'd lose then? Not much faith in your own abilities." He scoffed and raised an eyebrow. 

"What did they do, teach all Slytherins facial ticks in first year?" She said angrily. His words had stung though; she knew she could win, she _could_. They were evenly matched though, and what if she didn't? But she could, she _knew_ she could. Her nostrils flared and her eyes sparked as she thought. The consequences were horrible. But would he really hold her to it? 

Her mind chose that moment to recall her to her senses. _Well I don'' know Ginny, let's think about this. He turned you into a Cat managed to get you to play Strip Poker once, has kissed you, is by far more powerful than you, cruel, sadistic, spoiled, used to getting his own way in everything. HAVE YOU TAKEN LEAVE OF YOUR SENSES?! OF COURSE HE'D HOLD YOU TO YOUR BET!! _ Ginny screamed at herself in shock, slightly appalled she was even entertaining the idea of playing with such stakes.

"Sorry Malfoy, I'll play you a game of chess, but not with those stakes." She shook her head.

"I never figured you for a chicken." 

"Really? What was it that gave you that idea? I really am a chicken. Quite chicken. Never do anything on my own. Honestly. Why do you think I have six brothers? I – "

"Weasley, shut-up and play. You move first."

"No bets?"

He smirked at her. "Upon reflection, no. I don't need a bet to get what I want."

"Egotistical bastard."

"It's not egotistical if it's proven fact." He smirked even more.

"Malfoy, shut up and move a piece before I turn you into a ferret." She said angrily, a high blush staining her cheeks. 

The game lasted long and finally ended as Ginny emerged the victor. 

"Good game Malfoy." She whispered tiredly. 

"I'll win you next time." He responded in like, sleepiness softening his voice.

Ginny looked at him curiously. Was the slip intended? Did he mean he'd win _her?_

But the words were oddly reminiscent of something Tom Riddle once said to her as she lay in the chamber. She'd forgotten them until now. It wasn't really possible that an old memory of the Dark Lord would be able to 'communicate' or tell the present Dark Lord anything. Was it?

Ginny shuddered as she curled in her bed, dark shadows haunted her now, she couldn't get _Him_ out of her head. He was there, taunting her, comforting her, his words slippery and poisonous, but warm and caring. The tortured thinking gave way and she fell into a sleep fraught with nightmares of his voice and image. 

_The compulsion was on her once again and she moved out of her bed. Tom had said it wouldn't be hard, he'd do all the work for her, she just had to let him into her head. And he was right, it wasn't hard, she was watching her actions from a spectator point of view, a stranger in her body. _

_Down to the chickens, get blood and write, write, write. In broad strokes the blood went on the wall, but she was away before the basilisk came out. _

_And the compulsion was on her once again. Out of the bed she padded to the door – _

Only to be halted by a pair of arms encircling her waist. With a start Ginny snapped out of it and gasped. She was in the hospital wing, why? Had she hurt someone? She was transported back to first year when she had woken after Tom's first time taking over he body. The chickens – wait a minute, this was the hospital wing. 

The hospital wing – the arm shifted around her waist and she could feel the breath of someone against her cheek as he whispered soothing words of quiet into her ear. She sobbed dryly, and her struggling grew less. It was only a dream, just a dream…

"…just a dream Gin, just a dream." The words were whispered in her ear as the arm loosened. She fell slack into the boy. Malfoy. Her mind registered shock, but then remembered. The cat. He had turned her into a cat, the binding curse, and the hospital wing…

She closed her eyes. She was so tired and so scared. Now suddenly aware of her fear, she started shaking violently, her body wracked by shuddering sobs as well. 

Draco was frightened. She was having an epileptic fit or something. He muttered quiet words of nonsense into her ear as he held her, her body nestling into his. 

He had been frightened out of his mind when he had awoken to the strange keening cry in the night, but then realized it Weasley in the throes of a nightmare. When she had started to move around and mutter things in Parseltongue he had grown truly frightened and moved to stop her as she headed for the door; her intentions were unclear. 

You weren't supposed to wake sleepwalkers, but he had no other course of action to take. She had fought him, resisting the binding arms that had held her back from leaving the room. 

Now she was shaking and heaving in his arms. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't stand here all bloody night!

"Stupid Weasley." He muttered as he glanced around the room. Espying his bed, really it wasn't hard because it lay in a rather prominent position on his side of the room, he half carried - half dragged the form of Ginny Weasley to his bed. He managed to pull her onto her mattress and started to disentangle his arms.

Ginny began to clutch at him, and held on tightly as she shook in fear. Draco frowned. He just wanted to go to sleep. 

"God forbid her brother comes in tomorrow morning." Draco muttered as with a frown, he slid into the bed beside Ginny. Her shaking gradually subsided, and finally Draco fell into a light sleep, arms snaking their way around her waist once more in slumber. 

Ginny woke up warm and with the comfortable weight of an arm slung over her stomach. _Comfortable weight of an ARM?_!_ What's going on?! _

            Her eyes opened quickly and she tensed up as she saw her side of the room opposite hers. 

_            The chess game! Oh no I didn't… _Ginny's mind flashed through events and she relaxed, marginally, as she recalled the events. She'd had a dream, one where Tom had made her do things again and took over he body. She shuddered and the boy at her back stirred in protest. 

            Malfoy! She inched forward, attempting to loosen the arm around her stomach without waking him. Her back left his warmth and she felt bereft. Apparently so did he as the arm pulled her tightly back to him.  

            "Leaving so soon Gin?" The muffled words of Draco Malfoy echoed up from the region of the pillow. 

            _He called me Gin._ 'Truth is a person who is so tired that they've lost all inhibitions.' reverberated in her mind as she blinked in shock. "Well, as lovely as this is, I really think I could be in my own bed." 

            "Don't go." The words were clear as he leaned his head into her view. 

            Ginny stifled a yawn. "I should." But she was too drowsy to protest hard, her sharpness still muddled by dreams. Easily she fell back into sleep. 

            Draco couldn't. He watched her as she breathed deeply and saw clearly all the identifying Weasley traits. Red hair, check. Freckles, check. Old Clothes, well nightclothes really, but still a check. Even knowing this, still his mind whispered something traitorous at him, _I could get used to this. _

No one had discovered the two in the same bed, Draco had gotten them up in plenty of time, but Ginny was still bone tired. Her head rested on her forearm as she closed her eyes easily in class. Binns wouldn't notice, he rarely moved from the front of the room and she and Draco sat in the very back. 

            _Sleep beckons with _

_Fuzzy fingers,_

_And leaves with fuzzy feet,_

_Whose footprints last 'til_

_Lunchtime.___

            Ginny quoted the poem quietly in her head as Binns droned on. _I hope I don't start drooling…_

            Draco could see Ginny fading, her consciousness slipping somewhere unknown. He was leaned back, tilting his chair, dangerously far it must be said, and his arm rested on the back of Ginny's chair. 

He watched in fascination as his hand seemed to move of its own accord to her back. It rested there briefly, long enough for Ginny to tense up, then relax at its continued presence. Draco watched as it moved back to the chair, apparently satisfied. Thank god he sat at the back with no one behind him. 

Ginny caught herself smiling wearily with the fascination of one who is extremely fatigued, as the lean hand rested on her back comfortingly before it was gone. Lost in the haze of one who is half-awake and half-asleep, Ginny was barely aware of the class passing until Draco stood beside her and nudged her with his books. 

"C'mon Weasley, I've got an idea."

Ginny stood up and followed him out of the classroom with the other Slytherins and Ravenclaws. Draco walked with brisk strides towards a courtyard. "Malfoy, where are we going?" 

Draco shot a sly half-grin at her. " I thought we'd skip class, and go somewhere else."

Ginny cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. "Right. Because there are so many places to go that no teachers could find." She said drolly.

"Ye of little faith."

"Me of working brain." She retorted with a snort. "I'm tired, can't we just go to class?"

"Stop whining and come on." With a frown he turned and began to stride away. 

"How do I know you're not taking me somewhere to kill me just to get rid of me?"

"You don't." 

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Thanks for the reassurance." 

"We're just going to the rooftop; no where _bad._" He pulled her along behind him, his grip tight on her arm. 

"Why?" Ginny was honestly puzzled. 

"Because I don't want to go class." he rolled his eyes in a very un-Malfoyish gesture. 

Ginny sighed and gave up trying to understand. Whoever said the female psyche was hard to understand had never met a Malfoy. 

The snow was clear from the roof, the sun had melted it away and left large patches of dry stone and tile. Ginny and Draco sat sprawled in one such patch; Ginny's head was resting on her arms behind her head, eyes closed and her face turned up into the winter sunlight, wrapped once again in a thick cloak of Draco's. 

Her thoughts were running in lazy circles of pondering and contemplation of her rather unique circumstances. Hazily she wondered why she hadn't been more freaked out than she was when she had been turned into a cat then magically bound to Malfoy. Maybe all the time eavesdropping on the whispered conversations of her Harry Potter and Co. was creating in her an acceptance of the abnormal and downright freakishly odd. 

Or maybe she secretly craved adventure and excitement. She snorted at that thought. Right, she wanted adventure and excitement, that's why she wound up bound to Malfoy. So much for adventure and excitement, all she got was verbal torture. 

Of course, Malfoy hadn't been all _that_ bad. He was…agreeable most of the time. At least to her. Sort of. 

Maybe he understood that in close quarters, good relations were imperative. Or maybe she just liked her a little bit. 

She snorted again. 

"Keep it down Weasley, I'm trying to relax."

"Malfoy, do you like me at all?"

"Like you? No. You're a Weasley, I'm a Malfoy. I find you excessively useful for certain things but I don't think I like you. Though you are very smart and all, you're more useful to me than likeable." He finished haughtily, unconscious of how snobbish he sounded, how arrogant and rude. 

Ginny had been expecting that on the logical side of her mind, but her heart couldn't help wishing that the "no" hadn't sprang as quickly from his lips as it did. 

            "Oh." She whispered and kept her eyes closed tight

            Draco felt a twinge of guilt as he heard her soft "oh" and he winced slightly. He did like her. But he _couldn't_ like her. If her last name hadn't been Weasley, he probably would have…well who knows what he would have done, something drastic.

            "I think you're lying." The words were hesitant and brave.

            "Do you?" He asked rhetorically, his tone indifferent and lazy. 

            "I do. If you didn't like me at all, you wouldn't lend me your cloak."

            "That's a rather flimsy argument don't you think. I could be doing it out of a desire to prevent your whining." His voice was steady and clear, he didn't trip up on the lies. 

            "Maybe. But you wouldn't play chess with me every night if you didn't like me to some small extent." She stated with finality and he could visualize her chin jutting out in stubbornness. 

            Draco pushed himself up suddenly, resolved in his mind. "What if I did like you Weasley? Huh? What then?" 

            Ginny met his hard grey eyes with slight confusion. 

            "I'm a Slytherin, you're a Gryffindor. I'm a Malfoy, you're a Weasley. I'm going to be a Death Eater by my next birthday no doubt, and you're going to fight Voldemort for all your worth. 

            "If I did like you, who could I tell? Your brothers? What would they think? I rather like my life the way it is, being alive that is. I've no intention of killing myself. 

Besides, I don't need or want a friend."

            Ginny took this in. "What if I don't care about that stuff?"

            "Are you crazy?"

            "No." she looked at him solemnly. "I've seen you Malfoy, you don't want to be a Death Eater anymore than I do. But you've got the chance."

            "Right, the chance to ruin my life. Joy." His tone was bitter as he replied to her vehement statements. 

            "Think about it. People would love for the chance to bring information to Dumbledore about what's happening with the Voldemort. You've got the chance to do it!"

            "That's not a chance, that's a death sentence."

            "People are going to die no matter what."

            "I'd rather be on the winning side then thanks."

            "What makes them the winners?"

            Draco paused. What indeed? Their cruelty? No. Their ability to destroy? No. The fact that Death Eaters hated all things 'impure'? No. 

            He looked at the fervent features of Ginny Weasley, golden eyes wide in earnestness and hope. 

And he sneered. "No converting Slytherin points for you today Weasley."

Her face darkened in anger, a deep flush spreading across her cheeks and her eyes glinting as she clenched her jaw. "You're an idiot." Her nostrils flared as she jumped up. "No, you're more than that, you're a bastard. A great big wanker."

Draco grew…irked to put it mildly, and in anger grabbed an ankle and pulled her down. She landed on his lap with a small 'oof' and began to struggle. She was no match for him though and remained where she was, held by Draco and pouting. She had never been a good loser.

"Believe it or not, _Kitten_," the name was hissed out "I didn't bring you up here to fight."

Ginny 'humphed'. "Right, and I'm next in line to the Malfoy fortune."

"I didn't." He said vehemently.

"Then why did you?"

"You're the one that started talking."

She twisted and looked at him. "You're evading the question." She said with a hint of annoyance before backtracking to her earlier train of questioning. "So why then?"

Draco looked at her steadily, his grey eyes flinty. "Because I wanted to kiss you."

"You said you didn't like me earlier." Ginny laughed at him. 

"I don't. Not that much." 

His tone was serious and Ginny was suddenly confused and thrown off. She didn't know whether he was jesting or not. 

"I brought you up here because I wanted to kiss you again."

"Uh…" She tried to squirm away from him but his arms still held her firm. 

He smirked in triumph but she lifted sparking eyes to his. "You know Malfoy, I wouldn't even mind kissing that much if you at least confessed to liking me in the smallest way. There's really no use lying about it."

Grey eyes met her brandy brown ones and she bit her lip. The cards were laid and the dice were in his court. Wait, the ball…oh something. It was entirely up to him now. 

Draco calmly disentangled one arm from behind her and brushed red hair away from her face. "Fine. I confess. I like you the tiniest bit. Now may I kiss you?"

His tone was flippant and slightly challenging. Ginny was suddenly, once more (she certainly is an uncertain girl) doubtful. Was he saying that just to shut her up so he could kiss her? But then she glanced up at his eyes. 

His mouth could spout irreverent words, but his eyes were in earnest. And they were oh-so-earnestly telling her how much he _did_ like her and screw any consequences. 

And who was she to argue such logic? Especially when he was kissing her so nicely. 

It was upon to this scene of Draco Malfoy gladly kissing Virginia Weasley on the cold roof of Hogwarts Castle, that no one burst, and they continued until they were warm, then cold again and they'd missed lunch and soon it would be dinner. Then the real world intruded and they reluctantly broke apart for air, sure that they'd made some world record for longest kiss and slowly made their way into the castle once more. 

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**AN2**: the nicest word in the world: REVIEW!! Actually, it's alright. I really love the word 'turtle' though. I'm ambivalent towards the word review, but I love the action of it! 

            So I know there was little plot, but it's a shameless DG fic, did you expect a plot? And there really wasn't much point to this chapter except nice pg-13 DG action. Fluffy like cotton candy. Next chapter is the **conclusion. **We get a response of Ron and Harry and Hermione and other people and some other stuff. Other fun stuff. Get your minds out of the gutter. And go review!  
            I don't think anyone reads Authors notes. Billions of thanks to all the reviewers. 


	8. Chapter the Eighth

**AN**: this is it folks, been a long journey and it's finally over. Thanks for sticking with me and enjoy the read. I apologize for nothing, not even my behaviour. Oh, I do however apologize for all errors that seeped into the chapter. So I guess the only thing I'm not apologizing for is my behaviour. Interpret that as will. I have read OotP, this does not fit in per say, unless in its obscurity and lack of reference to any actual events that occurred happens to mesh with the book 5. Bon Appetit! 

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Don't sue.

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Ginny twirled her quill quickly, biting her lip as she studied the massive text in the soft glow of her lamp. 

"Are you still up?" Came the incredulous and sleepy voice of Draco as he pushed aside the partition and saw her sitting in her dressing robe and pyjamas. 

Ginny started at the sound of his voice coming out of nowhere and fairly slammed her book shut. "Draco!" she said in surprise as she stood up, pushing the text behind her. "You were supposed to be sleeping." 

"So it seems." He walked stealthily over to where she was hiding the book. His eyes glinted warmly and Ginny grinned half-heartedly, hoping against hope he wasn't going for the book. He drew nearer and she backed up against the desk until his face was mere inches from hers. He smiled and Ginny, lost in the gesture, missed the glint that appeared in his eyes. He began to kiss her slowly and she sighed, and as their kiss deepened, she wrapped her arms around his neck. 

Her mistake. With a smirk of triumph, he immediately seized the text from behind her waist and withdrew, holding it aloft. 

Ginny's face grew red in anger, her amber eyes spitting fire as she glared at his smug face. 

"Bastard." She hissed out. 

"Thank you." He responded idly with a sly glance over to her. "Honestly though, I _am_ Slytherin. You can't expect me to change. Now suppose you tell me what you were doing with…" he glanced at the text "_Advanced Transfiguration: Animagus. _This is from the Restricted Section, how did you get it out?" He stared at her hard and she sat down on her bed with a sigh. 

"Not that you deserve to know, but I took it from Dumbledore and Snape last time they were in here. I transfigured another book to look like it, they returned it to the Restricted Section and voila, my own copy."

"You conniving little thief." A grin spread across his face. "I'm proud of you."

"You would be. Slytherin to the core." She muttered.                     

He shot a glance at her. "You still haven't told me what you were doing with it."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I heard Ron and Hermione talking about Animagus, they wanted to see if they could do it." She shrugged and gazed at her fingers entwined in her lap. "So I took the book and now they can't find out."

He furrowed his brows at her. "You really hate them don't you…" 

Her eyes were hard and her jaw was stubborn. "Not hate, strongly dislike. Ron's my brother, I can't hate him even when he's the second supreme git of all gits, Harry being the first, though of course normally that title is reserved for you," Malfoy smirked a bit and bowed at her, "but sometimes he and his little friends really get on my nerves." She shrugged as if that explained it all. "They treat me like I'm not even here."

Draco nodded and moved over to where she was and pulled her down so they were lying side by side on the bed. 

Ginny giggled softly.

"What?" Draco mumbled into her hair, his eyes already closed. 

"Imagine Ron walked in." she giggled again. 

"No thanks, one Weasley is all I can deal with. Now shut up. You talk entirely to much Gin."

Ginny mumbled something but as she lay relaxed and warm in his arms, sleep began to overtake her and soon enough the two were asleep together on the bed.

Draco's arm was suddenly no longer draped comfortably over Ginny's waist and sleepily she reached for it, craving the warmth and security. She felt bereft. 

Draco shook Ginny hastily. "Get up Weasley." He muttered harshly and she turned and looked at him, her mind not registering the note of panic in his voice. His eyes were gazing straight ahead and with a puzzled look she sat up as well and looked to where he was watching. 

"Shit…" she hissed out and threw off their covers. "Ron look, I can explain. It's not what it seems." Her hands were outstretched towards him as she approached in a placating gesture.

She'd seen Ron so angry his face went blue and he'd frothed at the mouth. But he was so deadly still and calm but for the anger burning in his eyes that she knew he'd never been quite _this_ mad ever before. His icy, relentless glare went straight through her and focused on Malfoy who was standing his ground, arms crossed in defiance. 

"Ron, listen to me," Ginny touched his chest and he stared down at her, nostrils flaring. 

"Virginia Artemisia Weasley, why was that…_death eater_ in your bed?" The silent fury made her quake momentarily, the use of her middle name made her flinch. Tom had called her that. Tom! She gathered her courage around her like a sheltering cloak. If she had faced down the Dark Lord once, then she could certainly face down an irrational brother. 

Hermione's knuckles were white as she gripped Ron's arm, a silent spectator to the unfolding drama, Harry positioned likewise with a vice-like grip on Ron's other arm. 

"Ronald Weasley, you will listen and you will listen good." Ginny placed her hands on her hips and stood firmly in place, stance wide and ready to take whatever he threw at her. "You can't pick and choose when to pay attention to me. It's all the time, or none of the time. You forfeited your chance. So now that you've made your bed, lie on it, and stay out of _my_ life."

She glared at him and saw his face grow pink through the angry pallor, his nostrils flare even more and his gaze shot to Malfoy, who, to his credit, barely flinched. 

"This is your fault Malfoy. You poisoned her mind!" He began straining at Harry and Hermione who wrestled him back. 

"No, Ron, not right now!" They tried to stop him, but neither could get a hold of their wands as their hands were occupied with preventing Ron from getting loose and beating Malfoy senseless. Or killing him, which, considering the highly volatile circumstances, seemed much more probable. 

"_Petrificus totalus_" Ginny waved her wand and saw Ron go stiff in Harry and Hermione's arms. She stepped in front of him and narrowed her eyes dangerously. 

"Get him out of here." She whispered brokenly.

"Malfoy…" Harry's voice came out hoarsely through in anger even as eh stuggled to Lift Ron with Hermione.

"Yes, _Potter?" _Draco sneered.

"First you hex her, then you brainwash her and now you've turned her against her own family. I hope you're prepared to face the consequences." He looked ominously at Malfoy. 

"Well that about sums it up Potter. Is there anything else you'd like to add to my list of wrongdoings? Manslaughter? Murder?  Allegiance to Voldemort?"

Harry didn't miss the way Draco's eyes had narrowed to slits or the hard ring of steel behind his flippant words, nor the use of You-Know-Who's name. He turned and began to drag Ron out without responding but for a glare. 

Ginny stared at the door. "Not exactly the way I'd pictured telling them…" She muttered thoughtfully, an unperturbed look in her eyes. 

Draco burst out in laughter. "Not exactly?!" He exclaimed. "Did you fancy they'd understand and congratulate you? I can imagine it now. 

"'Good job Ginny on landing one of the wealthiest young men in all of the Wizarding World.' They'd say. 'Let's let bygone's be bygone's and try to forget his father tried to kill you in an attempt to bring back the Dark Lord. Let's forget the things he's done to your brother and dear precious Harry, let's forget that he values your pure blood, and forget how much of an inescapably evil man he's bound to turn out to be.'"

Ginny turned sorrowful amber eyes on him. "They'll probably transfer me. Or get me home-schooled. As soon as this binding thing is broken."

Draco nodded thoughtfully, half lidded eyes gazing thoughtfully at her, his expression decidedly neutral.

"Ah well." Her eyes glistened but she smiled bravely, not chancing a glance at him, knowing instinctively he'd hate tears, sign of weakness as it were. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's this. And you'd better pay attention Draco Malfoy.

"They can control my actions, make me parrot words, they can put me under the _Imperius _curse and they still won't be able to control my thoughts, my feelings. The part of me, that is only me. No one else. And with that part, I say, you're worth it."

Draco almost choked, but controlled his face to remain impassive. "Am I?" He said slowly, almost unconcernedly. 

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him and stepped closer. "I'm onto you Draco Malfoy. There's more to you than meets the eye. Maybe it's not exactly good, but it's better than a lot of the alternatives." Her eyes were calculating as she turned to him finally. "No one can control you, just like no one can control me. Not _really._" She drew closer and Draco, with a solemn and carefree face pulled her close, not even bothering to check the door for…innocent bystanders.

"In that case, find me when you get free." He whispered. "Even if it' somewhere bad. Come get me." He whispered the last part even quieter before kissing her, and kissing her well. 

            Ginny drew away with a laugh. "Eww, morning breath!" He grinned back. 

            The howler from her mother came, but she was in the privacy of her room, and their illicit, clichéd romance, in all its Romeo and Juliet-ness remained a secret.

            The letter informing her of her transfer to Beauxbatons came, but she was in the privacy of her room, with Draco to talk it over with. 

            The release from the binding spell came, and she felt bereft.

            Draco watched from the parapet of the North Tower as Ron, the faithful concerned brother to the end, Harry, Hermione, Neville, Colin, Luna, Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster Dumbledore all saw the beloved Weasley girl off; off to her new life in France. 

            Her friends had been fed a story about lingering effects of the binding spell she'd been under, but Dumbledore knew the truth, much as it pained Draco to admit it. But Draco knew that he knew whenever Dumbledore turned a pitying glance on the young Malfoy, making him squirm in his seat and duck his head, like a chastised 5 year old.  

            Draco watched the carriage pulled by those grotesque winged beasts ride away from the castle. A flash of red at the window and suddenly she was leaning out, her face upturned to the towers, eyes searching. She saw him and smiled a secret smile, before ducking back inside as a late snow began swirling through the air. 

            Ginny was safe in France, Malfoy was safely a few countries away, and war was breaking out. Tension mounted in the stone halls of Hogwarts Castle, students had taken on a slouching furtive look as they were escorted between classes. The unbridled animosity between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors had mounted, reaching an all time high. 

It had reached the point where Slytherin/Gryffindor brawls were breaking out in the halls after hours, during dinner, whenever Teachers were absent, even when they weren't. And in the thick of it all, calm, aloof, perpetually unruffled and undyingly loyal to his housemates, stood the Slytherin Prince, one Draco Malfoy.

Ginny read the censored version of encounters with Voldemort, of the burgeoning army rising against him and of the inter-house strife that was increasing at Hogwarts through letters sent by her family.  

She curled up in the window seat overlooking the magnificent gardens of Beauxbatons and gnawed her lip as she worried a piece of parchment. What if he forgot, what if he decided she had just been a stupid emotional mistake? What if he'd been playing her all along? Ginny worried and threw herself into her studies. There was nothing for her here except the distant letters form her family radiating their disapproval of her actions and full of well wishing that her counselling sessions were going well. 

She'd been stuck in those sessions once before, after Tom. And she did now as she did then; smiled, gave the right answers, made them think she was getting somewhere and took the sleeping draughts, the depression potions dutifully and pretended to use them. 

Ginny touched the heavy book she was reading and ran a slender finger over the embossed title lovingly. 

One more year, and she'd go free. One more year. A smile curved her lips. 

Years down the yellow brick road, we find out two heroes…….

            Draco broodingly stared into the fireplace, the paragon of evil with his hard grey eyes and high-backed chair illuminated eerily by the firelight. Lightning cast a flash of light over his ominous features, his fingers tapped restlessly on the armchair. 

            He'd tried to forget he really had. He tried to erase, in the three years since the end of the war, the memories of faces full of pain and fear as he looked out from behind his own blank mask. 

            Dumbledore had vouched for him. Lucius had gone down, but the Malfoy still survived though Draco. Dumbledore had vouched for him…the old bat was probably the only one who knew why too. Draco certainly hadn't stuck his neck out being a double agent. Oh sure, he'd helped occasionally, but only when there was no risk to number one, himself.  

            One hand tightened around a glass of scotch and he suddenly threw it down his throat, the familiar fire easing it's way down into the pit of his stomach like the security of a baby blanket. Not that he'd ever had one; Malfoy's were too rigid by far. He'd had a thick book and a lesson in pain instead. 

            But still. The scotch helped. If he had enough, he'd forget. Forget the faces. Forget_ her._ He scowled into the fire with renewed vigour. He _would_ douse the flames from the sheer intensity of his eyes…

            He'd seemingly gone on without her perfectly at Hogwarts but for the heightened animosity between Ron Weasley and him. They'd gone beyond the petty insults to blows almost whenever they met. They skipped right to the violence and forwent all the preliminary 'sticks and stones'. 

            Ginny had no doubt forgotten him as well. Rumours of her had circulated back to him during the war. Of her skill as an Auror, and her sheer cunning. She had been priceless as a strategist. AH well, promises given in youth had no meaning. He'd been foolish to thin otherwise. 

            Rain pounded the windows. But the fire shone bright. Sullenly Draco poured another Scotch and reflected on how the flames looked like her hair. He was a man haunted by his past, demons and ghosts surrounded him in his dead manor, keeping his mind on his dead past, making him more like his dead father every day. 

And no one wanted a man with demons. She'd made that abundantly clear. She'd promised and he'd waited. She'd never come. Not after Beauxbatons, not in the four years before the war, not during the war, not after the war.

He squeezed the glass so hard he barely felt it crush in his hand, shards biting into his skin and distantly he welcomed the pain. But he understood, because really, why would she ever want a man with demons, a man who could barely remember the boy he'd been when he'd met her.

Ginny laughed brightly and swirled away from the crowd of people in the Burrow, anxious to cool her body in the night air. 

The rain poured down around the porch and thunder rumbled in the distance. Ginny smiled and stepped out into the rain. She loved it out in the storms. Rain cascaded down her face, soaked her hair and turned the green dress she was wearing into a second skin, clinging tightly. 

The party went on inside and Ginny went from standing in the rain, to sitting in the rain, her thoughts somewhere else as she fought off the cold through a warming spell. 

Chin in hand, she stared off at the distant hills and her thoughts went inevitably to the war, when those hills had been scorched and great holes had scarred the countryside. Fires from battles had swept the moors and forests. 

She'd only fought in a few battles herself, most of the time she'd spent her hours planning out the next move, anticipating that he was anticipating their actions and doing her utmost to make sure the fewest possible died. 

A harsh bitter laugh broke from her lips. She'd made sure the fewest people had died. She'd never tried to save them all; she'd been reduced to thinking of them strictly as figures, numbers on a page. How mercenary. 

A wry grin broke her lips as she remembered _him_ saying something like that to her. He'd probably have been proud of her. And maybe when she grew distraught about the people she knew she was sending to their deaths, he'd have soothed her troubled mind and held her. 

Ginny could feel a tears mingling with the raindrops on her face and she futilely brushed it away. But after Beauxbatons, she'd thought a bit differently. She didn't think he'd want to see her. After all, all they'd had was a couple of weeks of something, barely significant in the larger scale of things. And so she'd put it off and put it off, but he hadn't made an effort either. Then the war had come. 

Word of Malfoy had filtered through to her. Bits of information that had come from of who Malfoy had slaughtered this time, how many children had died at his hands. 

Her family had looked askance at her, and kept her close to them, where they could watch her and be of comfort. Poor misguided Ginny, she'd had a run in with that evil one. Poor Ginny, fated to pick the ones that she shouldn't. 

_Poor Ginny_ bore it all with a smile and screamed on the inside.

Then rumours had trickled in of Malfoy's double agent status. She'd grinned lightly to herself and thought about him more and with renewed hope. Maybe he was doing all right then and not embroiled too heavily in the Dark Lord's inner circle. 

She'd urged Dumbledore to vouch for him as he had for Snape, when the time came for him to be tried. 

She'd never forgotten him. And she'd always meant to show him. _Show him now Ginny. _ The voice inside her head whispered and she sat bolt upright as the enormity of what she realized she fully intended to do hit her. 

_But what if he laughs? _She worried.

_Insult him, hex him, don't be a doormat. Face him. Where's that Gryffindor bravery huh girl? _

Ginny nodded firmly and stood up with scarcely a backward glance at the house full of friends and happiness. Fine then. She set her jaw stubbornly. Since she couldn't stop thinking of him, she needed to see him. To know that he was okay, to at most begin a friendship. And so with a wave of her wand she apparated away to go show him what she'd done for him.

Draco waited for the sound of his butler's footsteps to answer the door. He cursed when he remember he had given the few staff the night off wanting the manor all to himself. 

"I'll get it." He mumbled and drew himself t his tall height and walked heavily to the door curious about his late night caller.

Drawing the heavy door open, he glanced about curiously. There was no one there, predictably. "How cliché." He muttered as he walked back to his awaiting chair and warm fire. 

He started when he saw the cat. There it was, sitting in _his_ chair, bedraggled and muddy, serenely cleaning itself. The cat slanted a look towards Malfoy as he drew near and stopped licking it's paw and meowed. 

"Stupid cat…." Draco's face paled as he remembered saying something like that to another kitten long ago. Another kitten that had looked much like this cat did. He roughly grabbed the cat and pulled it to his face. 

"Weasley?" He gasped hoarsely, his eyes full of hesitation, fear and excitement.

The cat meowed and purred, very smugly.

"My god."

Ginny leapt free of his arms and suddenly a very wet, bedraggled looking Ginny Weasley was standing before him, smiling nervously and shifting from foot to foot. 

Draco stared blankly and gaped before uttering the first thing that came into his head. "What took you so long?" 

Ginny laughed and the tension disappeared. "Malfoy, what kind of host are you? I'm freezing."

One hour later, Ginny sat warm in a pair of Draco's pyjamas with a blanket tucked around her and a mug of hot coffee in her hands, ensconced in his chair as he sat across from her, coffee in hand as well.

Ginny paused in her narrative and cocked her head, a queer smile hovering around her lips.

"What?" Draco asked.

"You know, it's almost like there's been no time gone at all. It feels like we could still be sitting in the ward at Hogwarts, staying up over a game a chess." 

Draco grinned softly and then sobered. "But time has passed. And things are different. I'm not the same person I was back then Ginny." He shook his head to forestall her interruption. "I've done things that I'm not proud of, done horrible things to people, all to save my own skin." His eyes were full of anguish as he brought them up to Ginny. 

"But you feel remorse, you're sorry, I can tell. And that means you _have_ changed. Besides, you're not the only one who killed people." Ginny grinned bitterly and a tear slipped down her face. 

Draco drew close. "You're not to blame for your father's death. Or your brother's."

Ginny sniffled pathetically and wouldn't meet his eyes. 

"I have to confess something Gin." He continued, drawing her attention away from her problems. "This is the first night in a long while that I've felt remotely whole. When I saw you sitting there as a cat, which brings up another point entirely, I was ready to go out and find you because I realized that I couldn't stop thinking about you, no matter how much I deluded myself. I need you Ginny."

Ginny lifted great big eyes to his and smiled softly. "I have to confess something too. I lied." 

Draco flinched.

"Not about anything important so calm down." She placated quickly. "The book back in seventh year, _Advanced Transfiguration: Animagus, _I stole it so I could learn to be a cat. I took it with me to Beauxbatons and completed my Animagus." She leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. "All for you." A sly grin parted her pink lips.

"That's" Draco punctuated his sentence with soft kisses, "so…very…gryffindorish…of...you…" 

She smiled into his lips and squirmed her way into hi embrace, much like she wiggled her way into his heart. 

Epilogue

Ginny woke warm next to a very real, very naked Draco Malfoy in a very real room that was very really not her own. She rolled over and faced Draco's chest and snuggled closer, rewarded by a contented rumble of pleasure. She looked into his grey eyes and blushed, her freckles still stark against the red cheeks.

Blond wisps of hair fell into his eyes as he grinned contentedly at her. 

"Draco…"

"Mmm?" 

"Do you think I'm old enough that my family will stay out of it this time round?" She questioned him sleepily.

"Who cares what they think or say or _try_ to do…" He muttered drowsily.   
 "They  
"And you're so sure I'm not?" he quirked a brow at her and held her tighter.

Ginny smiled and burrowed into his embrace. "Luv, if I'd wanted a git, I'd have married Harry Bloody Potter."

**AN: **Okay dokey. First story I've ever finished. And posted. I'm astounded by the amount of you who responded that you did read author's notes. Writers of the world beware, there is an active audience!! *gasps echo around the lecture hall and excited whisperings break out*  

            So, first story ever finished. And posted. Thanks to all of you who offered criticism and to all you who made me laugh with your futile demands of UPDATE! NOW! MORE!! What are we, two? No just kidding. That was sarcasm. Sorry. Those reviews in no way, shape or form, influenced how much less I would write…*snickers*  
            Okay, no seriously, sorry this was SO long in coming. I have no motivation o write when I have unlimited time. It takes the pressures and strict boundaries of school life and dull homework to make me want to indulge in my creative side. So that's why in the first week of University, I wrote the whoel bloody chapter. So on that note, I apologize for all roughness, OOC nature of Draco and Ginny, and Ron, and everyone else. 

Please note that I do _INTEND_ (I haven't planned anything yet, I only INTEND) to go back and work on the last bit to fix Draco so he's a little bit more mean and therefore more loveable/adorable. What a sick twisted world. 

What fun we've had together on this fic. You laughed while I cried and then it was over…with no sequel. Maybe. 

I did have some horribly evil, unhappy ending planned. But it was difficult to write and I stopped. If you really want to hear that one, leave a review.  

            Buh bye Muffin.  
  
            

Special notes to reviewers…special 

**FemmeDraconis**: Thanks for the mention about the poem, I wrote it myself when I was really tired and bored in History ^_^ 

**Peaceoutgrlmehi**: Wow! Thanks for the lovely feedback, now that was your feedback for your feedback. Ain't you special…^_^

**Darcel: **Don't' sweat the small stuff; it's all small stuff. The dark mark business, well it all made sense in _my_ head. And I have too much schoolwork to go back and neaten it up. Sorry for the confusion 

**Evilryokojesse** and **Undone1: **thanks for your extra special, amazing reviews!

To all of you who think you deserve special mention and I didn't mention, I intended to but I ran out of time, (sorry 'bout that) this is for you. **_Thank you so much!!_**


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